Sky Castles

Once upon a time there was a sweet and clever girl named Cecily, who had been sent by her parents to live in the country with her friend Jack and the sweet little old fairy godmother Prism.

They lived like kings and queens and princesses in their little country cottage, and everyone lived happily.

Jack was a very nice lad, and every day he climbed up the bean stalk in the garden of their cottage, to the great castle of the ogres in the sky, where he would work for the ogres and bring back food and gifts to their little cottage.

Prism kept their little cottage pristine.

Cecily, meanwhile, lived like Rapunzel, always growing out her hair - sometimes she went up the beanstalk with Jack to dine in the castle of the ogres, sometimes she stayed to have tea with Prism, and sometimes she visited her parents, but essentially she was a very unhappy and lonely girl, who did not know about the castles in the sky or the evil beyond the hills, always confined to that little cottage in the country.

One day, when Jack was in the ogres' castle, and Prism was tending to the other people in their little village, Cecily heard a knock on the door.

"Let me in!" a voice said.

"Who are you?" asked Cecily, having been warned by Jack and Prism about opening the door to strangers.

"I am your sister!" said the voice.

Cecily laughed. "I have no sister," she said.

"I am your friend!" said the voice.

Cecily looked through the window by the door, and saw another girl standing there.

"How can you be my friend," asked she, "when I don't even know you?"

"But you will, my sister! Open the door for me!"

"What is your name?" asked Cecily.

"I am Gwendolen," said the girl.

Cecily was startled. Gwendolen, the evil witch who frightened even the ogres in the castles in the sky? Why was she here?

"I know no one who goes by the name of Gwendolen," lied Cecily. But she was not a very good liar, and the evil witch set a curse upon her.

"You insignificant, trivial little girl, henceforth you shall always speak my words, and mine alone!" cackled the evil witch.

Oh no! But it was too late. Cecily tried to speak, but found that all she could do was ask Gwendolen to enter, and whether she wished for some tea, and whether she had had a safe journey. Gwendolen smiled and began setting out her plan - she had come here, to their little country cottage, to ensnare the good prince Ernest, and kidnap him to her dodgy hut far, far away.

Cecily tried to put the curse off, but found that she couldn't - but the door had not been closed properly, and now swung open.

"Now I've got you, you evil witch!" In came Ernest with his sword drawn, and he slashed off the evil witch's head.

"Oh Ernest," said Cecily, "you're here!"

"Yes, my Cecily," said he. "how could I leave you to that evil woman?"

And they lived happily ever after.

The end.

P.S. Keep off my blog Gwen.