by Scandiadream scandiadream@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: MKR characters belong to CLAMP. This fairy
tale was written by the Brothers Grimm.
Notice that this time the protagonists are not your usual
cast.
Once upon a time, there was a woman who had three daughters. The eldest, Tatra, had only one functional eye. The middle, Caldina, had two working eyes like normal people. And the youngest, Tarta, had two eyes like her middle sister, but an extra one in the middle of her forehead! Now because Caldina looked and saw just like other people, her mother and sisters resented her and told her that she was not wanted.
Caldina often took care of the goats, and was often hungry
even though the family was by no means poor. One afternoon, Caldina was
so starved that she began to cry. When she looked up, a beautiful young
woman was standing there.
"I have heard your tears and grumbling stomach. All you
have to do is ask your own goat:
Little goat, if you're able
Pray deck out my table.
And when you are done:
Little goat, when you're able
Remove my nice table."
Caldina was skeptical, but she still recited the words, and a beautiful table with a four course lunch, complete with silverware and china, appeared in front of her. Caldina said grace quickly and scarfed down her food. She later asked her goat to take away the table, and everything was gone without a trace.
That night, Tatra gave Caldina a very small dinner.
"I am not hungry" Caldina told her. Her sisters at first
thought she was being arrogant, but could tell that she was telling the
truth.
"How can she not be hungry after eating just one roll
of bread and an apple for lunch?" Tarta wondered.
The next day, Caldina was not hungry either. But when
for a third time that week Caldina did not have any appetite, her mother
and sisters got suspicious.
"Caldina, I will go to the field with you" Tatra commanded
her the next day.
Caldina was quite clever, so before she got her food,
she sang Tatra to sleep. Then she took her little goat far enough so that
she would not be heard, and had her lunch.
"No news" Tatra told her mother and Tarta.
And the coming day, Tarta went. Caldina also sang her
to sleep...but she did not realize that Tarta's third eye stayed awake
and could see. Caldina snuck far away, but Tarta followed her and saw everything
and told their mother.
"So you thought you could get better food than us? You
will pay for this!" And with one blow, she slay Caldina's little goat.
Caldina was devastated, but she buried her goat next to her bedroom.
The next morning, the sisters exited their house and saw
a majestic tree growing in the exact same spot where Caldina had buried
her goat. It had leaves of silver, and apples made of gold.
The sisters could not help but liking riches too much,
so they decided to pluck some apples. Tatra went first, but she noticed
that the apples seemed to fly away from her hands. Then came Tarta, but
the apples also dodged her. Caldina gave it a try also just in case; however,
the apples landed right on her hands as if they floated there on purpose!
"We're going to be rich!" And that week, Tarta and Tatra
were not as mean to Caldina.
That Saturday, a young knight named Lafarge was riding
by the house. He could not help but notice the golden apple tree. and knocked
on the door.
"To whom does this tree belong?" he asked when Tatra
and Tarta answered.
"It belongs to us."
"If a person possessed just one branch, he or she could
obtain any wish in the world!" Lafarge was very impressed.
Tatra tried to break off a branch for Lafarge, hoping
to catch his eyes. But she failed. Tarta tried next, but also failed. The
tree branches clearly looked like they were dodging the sisters on purpose.
"How bizarre! The tree belongs to you, yet you cannot
pluck out one of its branches" Lafarge said, scratching his head.
Tarta and Tatra insisted the tree was theirs. But Caldina
was very angry that her sisters were lying, especially since she had been
gazing at Lafarge from the moment he had ridden into their yard.
Caldina made two apples roll from the door to Lafarge's
horse.
"Oh, someone else lives here too. Please do come out."
Lafarge asked.
"Hello, how can I help you?" Caldina exited the door.
Lafarge was amazed at how beautiful she was with her two bright eyes.
"Can you please break off a branch of this tree for me?"
the knight asked.
"Oh yes. It will be easy, because this tree belongs to
me." And Caldina climbed up the tree, broke off a branch with silver leaves
and golden apples, and gave it to Lafarge.
"What can I do for you in exchange for this?" Lafarge
said. He wanted to hold Caldina's hand, but his knight's honor prevented
him from potentially embarrassing a lady.
"Please, take me away from here. I suffer too much hunger
and humiliation. I want a chance at a normal life." Caldina asked.
"I will take you to my father's castle, where you can
have all you wish and more."
Caldina went to live at the castle. She and Lafarge had
grown so fond of each other, that a year later they got married and lived
happily ever after.