As they came to the edge of the woods, Aggie stopped the cart
Author's notes: I didn't actually make up this story. I first heard this story in 3rd grade, and after I saw Ella Enchanted, I thought the two would sound good together. It's about as close the the original story as I remember, but I can't say everything now, that would spoil the story. Basically, in this story, Ella and Areida befriend an old witch who, after getting to know them, rewards them for their kindness. Later, she meets Hattie and Olive, and, after getting to know them, punishes them for their rudeness. Also, on a side note, Areida knows about Ella's curse. Enjoy.
It was a warm and sunny summer day, a perfect day for a walk through the woods, and right now, two girls were doing just that.
Ella of Frell and her best friend, Areida of Ayorthia, were on a hike through the woods. It was one of their favorite hobbies, but they usually only did it when at least one of them had had a bad day. And today, Ella's "evil stepsister" Hattie, had gotten on Ella's last nerve. She really need a walk through the woods, and after a few hours of hiking, Ella finally seemed to have calmed down. But just as she had calmed down, she suddenly noticed that something wasn't right.
"Hey," said Ella, "Does that rock look familiar to you?"
Areida checked the map.
Ella started to panic. "I think we're lost. How could we have gotten lost?"
"Well," replied Areida, "we could've missed a trail when you were going on about Hattie using your flower bed as a compost heap. You were pretty upset about it."
As the girls stared at the map, wondering which way they should go, they heard a scream.
"Help me!"
"Did you hear that?" said Ella.
"Somebody help me!"
"It's coming from over there," said Areida, "C'mon, follow me."
PING!
Ella followed Areida off the trail and through the woods. They followed the shouts to a large hole in the ground. Ten feet down, at the bottom of the pit, lay a little old woman. She looked up at the girls.
"Help me, please," she moaned.
"Just sit tight, ma'am," said Areida, "We'll get you out." She turned back to Ella.
"Here's what we should do. You climb down into the pit, and I'll pull the two of you out."
"No," said Ella, "You go down, and I'll pull the two of you out. You're lighter, and I'm stronger."
"Sounds fair."
"Now we just need a rope…"
Ella and Areida looked around, searching for something they could use. Areida found a vine hanging from a nearby tree and pulled it off. "Will this do?" she asked.
"It'll have to," replied Ella.
Ella tied one end of the vine to a nearby tree stump, and Arieda tied the other end around her waist. Slowly and carefully, Ella lowered her friend into the pit. Once on the bottom, Areida approached the old lady.
"Can you stand?" she asked.
"I can try," the woman replied. She tried to get to her feet, but couldn't stand on her right leg. She leaned on Areida for support. Areida tugged on the vine and Ella pulled them out.
Once out of the pit, Ella and Areida helped the woman lay back on the ground.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" asked Ella.
"My leg," moaned the woman, "I think it's broken."
"Let me take a look," said Ella.
"What? Are you some kind of healer?"
"No. But we were both in Wilderness Girls."
Ella began feeling the old woman's leg, checking for broken bones. The woman moaned in pain. To keep her calm, Areida tried talking to her.
"So, how did you fall in the pit?"
"Oh, I was gathering some hemlock, and…ARGH! …I obviously wasn't looking where I was going."
"Hemlock? Isn't that poisonous?"
"Yes, it is, but if you…ARGH! …if you prepare it the right way, it can be used to make medicine for stomach problems."
The thought of an old woman turning poison into medicine made Areida think.
"Are you a…"
"Witch?" the old woman smiled, "Yes I am."
Areida was suddenly a little nervous.
"You don't eat children, do you?"
The old woman rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not that kind of witch. NRGH!"
Ella had finished checking the woman's leg.
"It's broken alright," she said, "In three places."
The old woman sighed. "Just get me back to my cart. I can patch myself up at home." Ella and Arieda helped the old woman to her feet. Once she had straightened her gypsy hat and dusted off her sweater vest, the girls led her the short distance to her cart.
"By the way, I don't think we've been properly introduced," said the woman, "The name's McPhiney, Agnes McPhiney."
"Ella of Frell," said Ella.
"Areida of Ayorthia," said Areida.
"Pleased to meet you both," said Mrs. McPhiney, "So, Frell. That's quite a ways away. What brings you all the way out here?"
"A bad day and a need to get out of a stuffy house," answered Ella.
"Yes, well, nature is a wonderful healer," said Mrs. McPhiney.
"Unfortunately, I think we may have gotten turned around a little ways back," said Areida.
"In other words, you're both lost." The girls looked embarrassed.
"Tell you what, why don't you both come back to my house. You can spend the night, and tomorrow, I'll show you the way back to Frell."
The girls looked at each other, nervously.
"I promise I won't eat either of you."
The girls chuckled. "Alright," said Areida.
"That's very kind of you, Mrs. McPhiney," added Ella.
"Oh, please, call me Aggie."
"Okay, Aggie."
When they reached Aggie's cart, the girls helped her into the driver's seat.
"I think your horse may have wandered off," said Ella.
"Oh, there's no horse," said Aggie, "It runs on magic."
"Cool," said Ella, as she and Areida climb on next to Aggie.
Aggie pulled a walking stick, covered with hand-carved runes and other pagan designs, out of the back of the cart. She tapped the seat with the stick.
"Forward ho!" she shouted. The girls' excitement rose as the cart began moving all by itself. It made it's way back onto the dirt road and headed off toward the edge of the forest.