A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time. Yes that’s right, that’s how this story starts. Because that’s how most good works of fiction start. Yes, that’s right. This is a story. Now you may be wondering, how is it that I know I am in a story? Well it’s simple. See because in this story, everything works out perfectly and we all live happily ever after, but if this were real life, that is the world you live in, everything wouldn’t work out perfectly.

But let me continue. So as I said, once upon a time. There was me - no not a princess or anything like that. Just a regular girl. But a made up one of course. Because in real life I would be plain right? But in fairy tales, the characters are usually beautiful even when they are dressed in rags, like Cinderella, they are still beautiful. So here I am - I was a regular girl who lived in a cottage in the forest. Yes of course, because in fairy tales characters always live in palaces or houses in the forest.

Sorry, I keep doing that, I keep getting off the track of the story. But I wanted you to know that this story is fictional and I am a fictional character. So it’s not like the story needs to progress quickly or slowly. After all, you might put the story down because you find my story boring. But I promise you, if you keep reading, or listening to it on one of those new fangled audio book versions, it will get interesting. But I hope you are reading not listening. Because I guarantee you whoever they get to read the story would not get my voice correct.

So anyways, I live in a cottage in the forest. There’s nothing special about it. Because the author didn’t need to describe too much of it because it’s not the most important part of the story.

Besides, would you really want to read a story with excess description?  No, you want to read an interesting story. So let me continue. I promise it will get interesting.

So there I was at my house in the forest. I should tell you that I am 10 at this time. That’s right, not 16 like some of those other fairy tale characters. Just 10. So I was in the house in the forest and my Mom said to me, “We’re going to the market.” Yes that’s right she’s smart. Not like Little Red Riding Hood’s mother who sent her off by herself. My Mom would never let me go off by myself.

Okay so we got on our horses and headed to the market. When we were there, my Mom went to sell her wares. I took the quarter she gave me and went over to get a snack. I was in line for the peanuts when I saw a boy who was about my age and also plain looking like me.

“Hi,” I said. “My name is Anna, what’s yours?”

“Hi, I’m Bernard,” he said proudly, as though he didn’t realize that the author had given him a stupid name. Now I can’t comment on why the author gave him a stupid name but I will tell you that if I had a stupid name I wouldn’t be proud of it. I would try to jump out of the book and demand the author change my name. But maybe the author thought his name wasn’t as important as mine, so didn’t deem it necessary to give him a good name.

Anyways, stifling a laugh, I said, “I’m getting peanuts, what about you?”

He said, “I’m getting a pretzel.”

“Why don’t we share our treats?” I suggested. He nodded. So I got my peanuts and he got his pretzel.

I thought about informing him that we were characters in a story. But I didn’t want him to get upset. He had such a smile on his face. So instead I offered him some of my peanuts, and he took a handful. Then he broke off some of his pretzel and gave it to me.

Okay, I bet you’re going to close the book right now. I bet you think this story is really boring. It’s not like any other fairy tale you’ve read, right? Well I promise you if you stick with me just a bit longer you’ll find that it’s going to get interesting.

There we were sitting on the bench. I was thinking about how the author should hurry up and make something interesting happen. Otherwise, I might have to just climb out of the book and grab their pen and take over the story myself. Then the author must have heard me because all of a sudden we heard horses galloping through the market. Bernard dropped his pretzel and grabbed me. I dropped the peanuts and we ran. Someone’s horse was out of control. I didn’t know what we should do. But then Bernard stopped and said, “We’re safe now.” Sure enough, we were in the forest. The only problem was, I didn’t know how to get back to the market.

“We’re lost!” I exclaimed.

“It’s okay, I’ll protect you,” Bernard said, which I thought was sweet.

“My Mom is selling her wares at the market, she’s not going to know where I am.”

“It’s okay, I know how to get back, let’s just wait a few minutes until the commotion dies down.”

I nodded. I decided to trust Bernard. After all, the author wouldn’t have put him in the story, even with the silly name, if he couldn’t be trusted. Right?

So we waited a few minutes. Then Bernard let me back to the market. And there was Mom. “Oh Anna I was so worried about you.”

“Don’t worry, Bernard protected me,” I told her.

“Well thank goodness for Bernard,” my Mom said. She invited Bernard back to our house for tea, to thank him for saving me.

“Thanks, that sounds great.”

“Do you need to ask one of your parents?” she asked.

“No,” Bernard said. “I don’t have any parents. I work here, I’ll just tell my boss.” Bernard left for a moment. I thought he was never going to come back, but soon after he said, “It’s fine, as long as I come back tomorrow.”

“I can bring you back tomorrow,” my Mom said. “I’ll be back at the market.” Bernard nodded. “We only have two horses,” Mom said.

“Don’t worry, I’m a good rider,” he said. He effortlessly got on my horse. Mom put me in front of her on her horse. Soon we made it back into the forest and home. I tried to pay attention so if I got lost again I could find my way home. But we were going so fast.

Soon we made it home. Mom said Bernard and I could play for awhile. It was nice having someone to play with, even if he had a silly name. Then Mom called us in for tea. It was fun, and I was glad the author had written Bernard into the story. But I wondered what was going to happen next.

“So what happened to your parents?” I asked Bernard.

“Anna, we don’t ask questions like that, you hardly know each other yet.”

“It’s okay,” Bernard said. “I don’t mind. They were killed in an accident when I was a baby. So whenever I see horses stampeding I run as far as possible.”

“Like today,” I said.

“Yes. I made sure I know all the places near the market so I never get lost.”

“Well I am glad you were there to save Anna,” my Mom said.

“What about you?” Bernard asked. “Do you have a father?”

I looked at my Mom. She said, “Anna’s father left us a long time ago.” Bernard was smart enough not to ask another question.

Mom said, “Bernard, I’m afraid we don’t have much space for you to sleep.”

“It’s okay, if you give me a blanket and a pillow I’ll be okay on the floor. I’m used to sleeping in all sorts of places.”

Mom nodded and brought him the blanket and the pillow. We went to our room. But since we didn’t have a door, I could still see Bernard lying on the floor. I eventually fell asleep.

In the morning, Mom served us breakfast, then we got on the horses and went to market. She gave Bernard and I both a quarter. Bernard went to work, and on his lunch break, we bought our peanuts and pretzel again. At the end of the day, Mom told Bernard that he was coming home with us.

“Really?” he asked. “For how long?”

“Permanently if you like. I talked to your boss who agreed. He said he’s moving onto the next town soon and you don’t have to come with him. I think you and Anna would have a lot more fun together. You both need a playmate.” I was happy to have a new friend.

So that’s the story. Well for now. Because the advantage of being characters in a story is the author could pick up the story again anytime they want. But for now, this is the end. And since I already said it’s a fairy tale, I’m sure you know how it’s going to end. We all lived happily ever after; well, until the author writes a sequel. Maybe when Bernard and I are older. Oops it’s already been the end yet I’m still talking to you. You can close the book now. THE END