The Miller lived in the vast farmlands of a beautiful kingdom with his mill right next to the rushing river. He was a man who often spent his time boasting and would sometimes stretch the truth. He would say things like no one could grind flour finer than he could or his mill had the best view of the entire kingdom. No one could deny his delight in his exaggerations. But more than anything, he would brag about his beautiful daughter, a girl named Isla. The Miller's friends and neighbors all listened to his boasting and while they liked Isla, they merely smiled politely and said nothing for the most part. But they did also have a good laugh or two about the Miller's tall tales. One day, he was bragging to his friends yet again while Isla was hard at work in the garden.
"That's right. Before I became a miller, I was a member of the King's royal court." He said, puffing out his chest. "A most important member, too. You could say I was the King's most trusted advisor."
The folks who were listening to the Miller suddenly burst out laughing, hardly believing a single word he said. Isla rolled her eyes and continued her work. Unlike her father, Isla was an honest and humble girl who didn't like bragging or stretching the truth to make herself look important to others. But she did wonder what life in the world beyond the mill would be like, and she often dreamed of living a life of ease where she and her father would never have to worry about anything ever again. She mostly kept her dreams to herself though, believing there wasn't much she could do to make them come true. But then, as she was taking a handful of weeds out of the ground, she heard rustling in the nearby bushes.
She turned her head in the direction of the sound. "Hmm. That's funny."
She slowly made her way over to the bushes, but just as she was about to look through them, Isla was blindsided by the hooves of a massive white horse stomping the ground missing her by a few inches. She cried out in fright as she fell on her backside.
"Hey!" She yelled.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" An unfamiliar voice asked.
Isla paused and looked up to see the horse's rider. It was a young man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes and he was giving her a concerned look.
She snapped back to reality and quickly said, "I-I'm fine. But what are you doing? You could've hurt me!"
"I'm sorry! I was just—" The stranger started before more rustling from the bushes was heard.
Isla cautiously moved a few branches away and a little ball of white, brown, and black fur jumped out at her and into her lap. She looked and saw that it was a beagle puppy.
"Where did you come from?" She asked before he started licking her face, which made her giggle. "Aw. Aren't you the cutest thing?"
The stranger chuckled and dismounted his horse before walking over to Isla.
"Need any help?" He said, offering his hand to her.
Isla paused, then reluctantly took the stranger's hand and he hoisted her up back onto her feet. She dusted herself off and placed a hand on her hip.
"So, care to tell me what you're doing on my father's property?" She asked.
"I was just riding through the woods. Again, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trespass. I was just passing through. My name is Phillip." He said with a bow. "And you are?"
"Um… Isla."
He stood straight. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Isla."
"Uh… thank you." Isla said before the puppy wriggled his way out of her grip and started jumping about at her and Phillip's feet while barking happily. They both knelt down and she scratched the pup's ears.
"You're a little fuzz ball of energy, aren't you?" She laughed.
"The poor little guy must be lost. It looks like he needs a good home." Phillip said, stroking the dog's back.
Before Isla could reply, the Miller's voice called out.
"Isla! Isla? Are you still out there?"
"Oh! Coming, Papa!" Isla called back. She turned back to Phillip as they stood up. "I'm sorry. It's my Papa."
"No, no. It's fine. I'd better go anyway." Phillip said, mounting his steed. "I again apologize for the intrusion. But if there's any way I could make it up to you, let me know."
"Thank you." She said awkwardly.
He mounted his steed and smiled at her. "I hope I see you again… Isla."
She blushed and gave a shy smile. "…I do too, Phillip."
And with that, the handsome stranger rode off back into the woods, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts and a new furry friend. The puppy barked up at her and wagged his tail. She smiled and picked up again.
"That boy was right; you do need a home." She said. "And you'll need a name too. Hmmm. How about… Odie?"
The puppy perked up and barked, happy with the decision. She laughed.
"Odie it is."
"Isla!" The Miller called again.
"I'm coming, Papa!" She yelled before picking up her basket of vegetables and making her way inside, failing to notice a pair of unfamiliar faces approaching.
Back in the mill, the Miller was in the middle of telling his guests his latest tall tale just as his daughter walked in with her basket in one hand and Odie in the other.
"Yes, if I hadn't been forced to retire, I'd still be working in the castle." He said before noticing Isla and her pup. "Ah, there you are."
"Hi, Papa. Oh, hope you don't mind, but I brought a friend." She set Odie down onto the floor before the pup ran over to the older man. "I found him outside. Can the little guy stay with us?"
The Miller laughed as Odie barked up at him, eager to meet him. He gently scratched the pup's head. "Sure. I think we have room for one more. Now where was I? Oh, right! If I was called back to the castle by the King himself for whatever reason, I don't know what I'd do."
Isla rolled her eyes. "Papa, you're bragging again. You really should be more careful, you know. Your boasting could get you into some big trouble."
"Come now, Isla. You worry too much. It's all in good fun anyway. What could happen?"
A knock at the door was heard.
"Could you get the door please, dear?"
She did as she was told and to her surprise, standing at the door was a pair of men, one tall and round and the other shorter and thin, dressed in fine uniforms and each wearing medals; it was the Captain of the King's Royal Guard and his Lieutenant. Isla was very surprised, but she composed herself and gave the two men a curtsy.
"Hello. Can I help you, gentlemen?" She asked.
"Pardon the intrusion, miss, but we'd like to come in for a rest, if you don't mind." The Captain replied. "My lieutenant and I have been traveling for most of the day and are quite thirsty."
"So would it be too much trouble to let us in and have a drink?" The Lieutenant added.
Isla didn't even have a chance to respond. Her father rushed up next t her and said, "Why of course not! No trouble at all! Please, come in. Come in, gentlemen." He ushered the two inside and closed the door. "Have a seat while my daughter fetches us a flask of our finest grape juice."
"Uh… okay. Be right back." Isla said before going off to do just that; Odie scampered off to join her.
The Captain and Lieutenant sat down just before the girl returned with a bottle of grape juice. She poured a glass for her father and their uniformed guests and the Lieutenant quickly noticed her beauty.
"Excuse me, sir, but you have a very lovely daughter." He said before taking a sip from his cup.
"Indeed." The Captain added.
"Oh yes. My dear Isla is a real treasure." The Miller replied. "With her beauty, she'll surely marry a prince and live like a princess. Oh! Not only is she beautiful, but she's also very clever and talented."
"You're doing it again, Papa." Isla sighed before walking off.
Her father went on. "My daughter can charm birds with her singing and dance with the grace of a swan. She even designs and makes her own clothes and can spin her own thread. Her mother taught her everything she knows, bless her soul. Why my daughter spins so fine, she can spin anything! She could even spin straw into gold!"
The entire mill immediately went quiet and still. After a long moment of silence, the Captain and Lieutenant spat out their juice in disbelief as Isla froze in place.
"Straw into gold?!" The pair said in unison.
"Straw into gold?" The girl whispered nervously.
The neighbors and farmers, on the other hand, suddenly burst out laughing as if they were just told a hilarious joke.
"Straw into gold, Paul? That's impossible!" One farmer chortled.
"She can't spin straw into gold! No one can!" Another farmer snorted.
"Of course she can! But my little girl's gift is not to be abused. I—" The Miller argued before Isla quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
"Papa, stop!" She hissed in his ear.
"This is very serious, sir!" The Lieutenant said to his superior as they stood up. He turned to the Miller. "You and your daughter must meet the King!"
Isla's and her father's eyes widened in shock at that statement.
"Meet the King?" They asked.
"You're right, Lieutenant! They must, at once! Come along!" The Captain added before grabbing the Miller by his shirt collar and dragging outside with Isla and Odie following close behind. "The King will definitely want to know about this!"
"But wait! This is all so sudden! Shouldn't we…?" Isla said before she was suddenly hoisted onto the Captain's horse behind him; she held Odie close.
"No time!" He turned to his partner who had the Miller mounted on his horse as well. "To the castle!"
They whipped the reins and galloped off in the direction of the castle, leaving the mill and the simple life they knew behind.