I had a dream last night...
I saw the Prince, bending down and picking up the Witch’s crooked blade, not at all sure if he could really do what the Fox was asking of him.
“Please.” begged the copper-colored canine. “It is the only way to save me.”
The Princess leaned down to him, taking the Fox’s head into her hands. “But... Dear Fox, how could we? Might this even be a wound you could survive on your own.”
The Fox pulled away, sadly saying “Oh that I wish you didn’t have to see me the way that I am.” But then he looked back up at her. “Princess, if you let the boy do this, I promise it will not be the last of me.”
She looked back up at the Prince.
“You must hurry.” urged the Fox.
So the maiden stepped away, as the Prince took a deep breath, crouching down beside the creature. He raised the knife to the animals leg, took another breath, and began to cut.
Yet he was surprised to discover not a drop of blood fell from the wound, as the blade passed rather easily through animal’s fur, also doing so with the poor creature’s other limbs, and even his neck.
When suddenly the Fox’s body began to glow! Getting brighter and brighter, it lit up the entire room with a warm orange light.
The Witch hid her face. “What have you done?” she asked.
And when the light faded, there sat a man with copper-colored hair and beard.
The Golden Princess gasped, throwing herself upon the man, as tears began to roll down her face. “Brother! Oh dear Brother!” she cried.
The Prince helped them to their feet, saying “An enchantment? You were really her brother all along?”
“Indeed.” replied the man, glancing over at the window. “But we haven’t much time. We have to get you all to the back entrance.” He stepped over to the Horse, who was holding the Witch down with his right-front hoof, her being too shaken up to even speak, taking her up into his grasps, and leading the others to the back.
Outside, the sky was growing light with the new day. So the Brother of the Princess told his sister “Stand there, with the Bird in one hand, and the Horse’s snout in the other.” Then, while still holding onto the Witch, he instructed the Prince “Take the Golden Apple, and hold it out in front of the mound of bones.”
And just as they all got into place, the sun came up, with all the Golden things sparkling and shimmering like light through a dazzling jewel, until the woman in the copper-haired man’s arms fainted!
The copper-haired man carefully turned her around, and saw that her face was now young and kind, that she was the Witch no more!
She woke up as if from a dream, blinking her eyes and saying “What has happened? How long have I been out?”
The Brother pulled her close to him. “All that matters now, is that it’s all over, my sweet.”
Suddenly, something rose up from the mound of bones, as they looked up to see the image of an earthen-haired woman.
The Princess studied her face, but could not recognize it.
The Brother took a step back, motioning up at her. “She is the real witch! The one who has brought all of this upon us!”
The apparition sadly looked down, as the Princess seemed to realize who it was, recalling what the enchanted old woman had told her some moments before.
“My eldest aunt of my Mother’s Mother?” she asked.
The woman nodded, turning to the copper-haired man. “I am sorry for all the terrible things I’ve done. I regret that I did not see the blemishes of my heart... until I could no longer make up for them.” Then she turned to the Princess. “And, young darling, do ask your mother to forgive me as well. I let my jealousy drive me to do such horrible things, and I don’t wish to see anyone else treat others in the same way.”
The golden-haired girl looked over at her brother, and his expression turned from vexed, to pitying.
“With time,” he said, “I may not hold it against her.”
And suddenly the woman was gone, with the inside of the Golden Castle instantly appearing brighter, and more pleasant.
The Brother walked up to the Prince, and held out his hand for the Golden Apple. The boy gave it to him, and watched as he took it out several strides, to the spot where an old tree stump stood. Holding the apple out, and gripping it tight, he broke the fruit in two, letting several of its seeds sprinkle onto the ground.
Turning back to the Prince, he held out the two halves. “I believe a bite from these should cure your brothers.”
And so it did. The King’s other two princes were cured of the poison, restoring their attitudes to the way they were before, though some said still wasn’t enough.
The Princess’ mother was overjoyed to see her son and daughter-in-law alive again, and was told about the ghostly appearance of her sister, leading to her bones getting a more proper burial.
The Golden Castle was quickly restored to its former splendor, with the courtyard full of luscious foliage, and a little apple tree sprouting up behind it.
Meanwhile, the Hunter of the mansion was forbid to kill any more foxes, and the Rider of the estate ran off with a barmaid of the cheerful inn.
Soon, the Prince of the Golden Apple King and the Golden Princess were married, taking the Golden Castle as their home, and reuniting the Golden Creatures together at one place.
And it wasn’t long before they were expecting their first child, a beautiful baby boy, with a head full of shimmering golden hair. And who should they choose to be godparents, but the Princess’ copper-haired brother and his wife.
Though they all still had their troubles from time to time, it can be said, for the most part, that they lived happily ever after.
~ THE END ~
–Charles M Warren
