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Glory Bound Books
presents
~ Once Upon A Twisted Tale ~
BOOK ONE
The Pimpled Princess
by
Leah Berry and Cindy Knowlton
~ Storytellers for THE KING! ~
Copyright © 2002
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
***
CHAPTER SIX
~ Whomp Diddle Weasles and A One-Eyed Man ~
***
...A world unknown...
Pashzmeenie was not alone, as she was soon to see.
Early the next morning, she and the Professor left the castle grounds and walked through the enormous wooden gates that guarded the entrance to the city. They turned westward, climbing the dusty road until they reached the hilltop. And there below... sheltered amongst the ancient oak trees... was a charming little village.
...The village...
The road wound its way around a wide spot in the center of the village where an old well stood. Women gathered near it, exchanging greetings as they waited their turn to draw water. Here and there old people rested on little stone benches, calling to passers by.
...A cottage industry...
Smoke rose in lazy spirals above tiny, stone cottages with brightly painted shutters and doors. Colorful signs on great iron hooks declared what wares or services could be traded for or purchased at each cottage. There seemed to be everything you might need or want, a pottery maker, a butcher, a seller of herbs and flowers, a soap and candle maker...
...A bakery...
As the Professor and Pashzmeenie approached the first cottage, the aroma of fresh baked bread filled the air! Hot loaves stood cooling on the window ledges, and a small table outside the door was piled high with loaves of all kinds... long french baguettes, squat pumpernickle rounds, cheese straws, braided garlic twists and frosted stollen with fruit.
...A seller of mushrooms...
A plump, pretty lady with a big white apron and a long, brown braid twisted around her head like a crown offered truffles (that means mushrooms!) for sale in front of a tiny cottage with its own piggery. There at the back two fine, fat porkers grunted happily as they dug amongst the roots of a giant oak tree.
Pashzmeenie was so excited by the piglets she saw peeking from behind the tree that she didn't notice the lady's crippled leg... or the crutch leaning nearby.
...The weaver...
Lines of twisted rope strung between the next cottage and nearby trees were draped with beautiful, woven fabrics. A split-rail fence at the back of the cottage was filled with fluffy, white sheep that jumped and bleeted to each other in gentle, low voices. The cottage door stood open and inside were great sacks filled with wool. A spinning wheel was placed near the window and a wrinkled, old man sat next to the fireplace stirring an enormous iron kettle. He was singing a joyful song with a lively tune about the colors of the rainbow.
The man looked up as they were passing, and it was then that Pashzmeenie saw that he had only one eye. Where the second eye should have been was a woven eye patch of bright and squiggly colors.
...A gaggle of geese...
Just then a bustling crowd of big, white geese came waddling through the village. Following close behind was a tiny, little barefooted girl, busily tapping a long stick to keep the geese in line.
Pashzmeenie's eyes grew big, for she had never seen such a sight!
The Professor bent low and softly said, "Not all of the things that make us different are so easy to see. Little Marta is an orphan. Her entire family was killed 3 years ago when lightening struck the giant tree that fell on her house, killing everyone but her. Her family has always kept the geese for the village... selling meat and young geese... using the feathers for pillows."
"But that's awful! How can she live all alone?" cried Pashzmeenie. "She's too small to take care of herself!"
"There is an old woman in the village who never had a family of her own. She has taken the child in, and now they are a family together." said the Professor.
...The furrier...
They moved on through the quaint little village, and Pashzmeenie saw handicaps of all kinds. Beyond the end of the village was the furrier's cottage. The furrier was a giant of a man who had been born mute and without the sense of smell. Indeed, he was he only one who could have done this work, for he specialized in the pelts of the Whomp Diddle Weasles, which were prized for their softness and sheen.
The creatures themselves... with their engaging antics and fun frolics, were a joy to watch... but their stench was a legendary thing. Its offense was the reason for the cottage being set apart from the rest of the village. Even here... in this haven for outcasts, there was an outcast. The furrier's lost sense of smell had allowed him to keep the animals and become a very rich man. But he had no family and he was lonely, for the horrible odor kept others from visiting him.
...A question...
Walking home that day, Pashzmeenie asked the Professor, "Why have I never seen these people on the castle grounds? Why have I never heard about them or known of the village?"
They sat under a tree to rest and the Professor told the story.
...Banishment!...
"No one knows the real reason why... but I will tell you what I have observed. Long ago there was a member of your family who did not love himself... so, he found it hard to love others. He was full of pride and arrogance, and he wanted to be surrounded by only the most perfect and beautiful of things. He outlawed all handicaps and imperfections, and banished those who had them from the castle grounds. The outcasts were homeless and they were no longer able to come and trade in the city. So, they banded together to make new homes for themselves under the ancient oaks. There they are able to make a living and provide for themselves. If anyone from the city wants to purchase their wares, they must go to the outcast village."
"Does the law still exist?" asked Pashzmeenie.
"Yes, my child." answered the Professor.
"So..." Pashzmeenie thought, "because I'm not perfect... because I have the bumps... I'm an outlaw?" whispered Pashzmeenie.
"Technically... because the law has never been revoked... yes. But, I believe that your parents love you very much, Pashzmeenie. They have changed the way women in the entire kingdom dress, so that you can be safe." said the Professor.
"But it's not right to outlaw or banish people because of something like that! I recognized the furs of the furrier... my whole family wears these furs! How can it be right to take what you need from people and leave them without their dignity? My father is a kind man! Why doesn't he fix the law?" demanded Pashzmeenie.
~ "Because the man who made it still lives!" ~
***
~ The Tale Continues ~
CHAPTER SEVEN
~ The Winds of Change ~
***
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