Ending card : “And for all I know they may be dancing still “

There was a village at the edge of a mountain pass that merchants and traders used to pass through regularly. One day Angelo, son of a pottery merchant who often visited the village, met Teresa, orphan and ward of the local village priest. (people meet). They fell in love.

Teresa one day visited the local wisewoman (very wise) who lived a way out of the village, to find out what the future might hold for her and her happiness. The wisewoman consulted her oracles and told Teresa she tended to be blind (Int.) to the flaws of those around her, and she should be wary of one who was very close to her. Teresa thanked her and set off home, but took the wrong road and eventually found herself lost.

Night was approaching , and she was hungry. The wisewoman had given her a gift (Int) as she was leaving, wrapped in a cloth, and warned Teresa only to use it if absolutely necessary . As soon as she was out of sight, Teresa unwrapped the gift and found it was a bunch of grapes (food). Now that night was approaching and she felt hungry, she ate three of the grapes.

Tired from wandering, she found a small overhang for shelter , and fell a-sleep. In the morning she was woken by the sound of a voice, and animal noises, and saw a shepherdess with her sheep.

The shepherdess was surprised to see Teresa, but after Teresa explained all that had happened, the shepherdess told Teresa that the wisewoman was really a witch known for her evil (Int), and that the grapes were in fact cursed.

Even as the shepherdess spoke, Teresa found her memory slipping away (stupid), and found she could no longer remember who she was or what she was doing there. The shepherdess told Teresa the curse would last for a year and a day. She wandered to the next village, where a farmer’s son, Louis, found her and took pity and took her home to his mother and siblings (a rescue).

The family assumed her to be an orphan, and Louis‘ mother treated Teresa like one of her own children (stepmother). There she lived happily for most of a year, until one day there was great excitement in the village with the news that the king was coming to visit the village.

Everyone was happy the day the king arrived, and this turned into jubilation when the king announced that he had come to find a wife (something is revealed) from amongst the young women of the village.

The village made a feast and celebrations for the king, which lasted into the night. Late, when celebrations had died down and all had gone to bed, the king and his trusted advisor slipped out from the village to a cave nearby.

The king and his advisor made their way thought the cave which wound down into the underground ruin of an old castle. These ruins contained a great treasure, including a valuable artifact that had been stolen from the king, and he’d finally learnt its whereabouts.

They proceeded though ruins, tunnels etc until they realised they were lost.

They faced two diverging tunnels, and could not agree which to take. (an argument).The king finally stormed off down one of the tunnels, leaving his advisor behind. After a long time of stumbling and groping through tunnel, the king saw a faint light. It was the tunnel mouth and daybreak. He emerged from the cave along a rocky coastline, with a bay in front of him, and on the bay he saw an island. He was mystified, as he knew of no such island in his kingdom. And on this island he could make out a town.

The town was dominated by a large tower (Int), and as he stared at it he was struck by apprehension and fear. He turned and made his way back up rocky stairs in the side of the cliff, back into the tunnels, and retraced his steps. The king eventually found himself at the point he had left his advisor – but the way back was now blocked by rocks – the tunnel had collapsed in the few hours since he’d passed. But the king was very strong and forced his way through.

On the other side of the fall however, he was met with the dead body of his advisor (a death), who had been caught in the rockfall. The king was struck with guilt and sorrow, and picked up the advisors body and made his way out of the cave. Suddenly a small, light-filled figure appeared before him, it was a fairy. “Your friend has suffered an accident” she observed. “Yes” replied the king” If only I could restore his life “. “There is one who can” answered the fairy, “a girl who has lived in the village but a short time, who is under a spell. She can save your friend”.

The fairy explained that this girl was bespelled as a result of being poisoned. The fairy vanished, and the king made his way toward the village, determined to find the girl of whom the fairy spoke. He met an old woman gathering wood outside the village, and asked “Do you know of any girls who are new to this village?” But the old woman didn’t know.

But as the king entered the village, he encountered the local beggar , who sat there all day observing all who passed through the village. “yes”, said the beggar, “I know of such a girl, she lives with a farming family. What’s more I wager there’s a secret attached to her, for since she arrived not quite a year ago, she has hardly ever been into the village, and never speaks when she does.

The king was buoyed by this news, and now feeling lucky, (and still carrying his advisors body) he proceeded according to the beggar’s directions. On the way to the farm he encountered a dwarf (tiny), who invited him into his dwelling.

 

The dwarf knew of the farm, but warned the king “It is on the other side of the river. And the river is guarded by an enormous giant, who will not let any cross. To overcome him you will need this axe.” And the dwarf took down an axe from his wall and gave it to the king. The king thanked the dwarf and proceeded to the river.

The giant saw the king, and roared “None dare cross this river”. Now the axe the dwarf gave the king was magic, and could talk (this item can talk Int.) The giant challenged the king (contest Int), but the king unslung the axe and gave it to the giant. As soon as the giant took the axe, it began speaking to him, and commanded that the giant let the king pass. The giant was astonished, but delighted with his new toy, for he was very lonely, and had no one to talk to, for all feared him.

So the king passed over the river, and made his way to the farm, as a storm broke, drenching the king and his burden. He arrived at the farmhouse, and could see a welcoming fire in the kitchen. Teresa and the family were in the kitchen, and they made the king welcome. He explained why he was there, and that he wanted to take Teresa back with him. They could not refuse the wishes of the king, so Teresa sadly said farewell to he new family and left with the king. (people part company)

Now up till now Teresa had ben wearing an old farmers cloak which hid her features. (disguised) When the king and Teresa returned to his royal tents at the village, and she removed her cloak, the king saw she was not a young girl, but a beautiful woman and fell instantly in love with her. He asked her if she would be his wife, but she refused, and the king was heart-broken (an object breaks).

To find out how to remove Teresa’s curse, and how she may help him revive his advisor, the king visited an old man of the village, known to be a wise & learned sage. The old man went through his books, and eventually found what sounded like the curse that was afflicting Teresa. “This type of curse lasts for a year and a day. You must be with her when the spell wears off, that moment will hold the key to what you must do to save your advisor. The curse was most likely placed just before she arrived in the village, so you should measure a year and a day from then.”

So the king kept her in one of his royal tents under permanent watch until the spell wore off. But this moment was still a month or so away, and the king still had no wife, and being a man, he was feeling …….. (!) So he devised a plan to choose a wife from amongst the women of the village. He would send for all the eligible women in the village and have them try on his crown, which was magical. Whichever woman the crown fit perfectly would be his wife. Meanwhile, Teresa was starting to have strange dreams, as if she was remembering bits of her past. The day for the women to try the crown on arrived, and they all took turns. But the king still harbored feelings for Teresa, and made her try on the crown. (We asked a Random Question at this point: “Does the crown fit Teresa?” Answer was Emphatic No! At this point we didn’t know why.) But the crown could barely stay on her head, let alone fit her !

Another village woman tried on the crown, and it fit her perfectly. So the villagers and the king rejoiced, but he set the date of the wedding after Teresa’s curse was resolved and his advisor was revived.

So a year and a day was about to pass, and everyone was gathered in the Kings royal tent waiting to see what would happen. Teresa had been experiencing more and more dreams, and now she was remembering things she never had before, including a home which was a palace. She dreamt she was a child and her toys spoke to her (this animal can talk) and told her that she was actually the kings sister, which was why the crown could not choose her. Meanwhile, everyone was watching her. She coughed and fell still, and for a moment everyone thought she had died. Then she starting coughing again, and coughed up three grape pips. The old sage told the king to crush the pips and give them to his advisor. The pips caused the advisor to came back to life, and have no memory of the months he was dead.

Teresa felt like she had been released from prison,.

She now remembered being stolen from her royal bed as young child by a thief, but she was found by the village priest and raised by him.

 

And so….

The king announced his wedding day, but what of Teresa and Angelo? As it happened, he and his merchant father sometimes travelled to this village to sell their wares. (We asked a Random Question at this point: “Did Angelo and his father also visit this village in their trips?” Answer was Yes.)  And when they set eyes on each other again they knew they should be married.

So a big joint wedding was held, everyone rejoiced, there was much dancing - “And for all I know they may be dancing still “