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She'd been told, of course,
about the princess and the pea:
a girl with such delicate sensitivities
she could feel a pea under fourteen layers
of mattresses.
of mattresses.
What does it mean, then,
when her bed has pebbles in it
and the message is "you made your bed,
now lie in it. What doesn't kill you
makes you stronger"?
now lie in it. What doesn't kill you
makes you stronger"?
How strong does a wild woman
have to be?
She ate the pea;
she needed the extra strength
for the journey.
she needed the extra strength
for the journey.
In her world, the prince did not come.
There were no glass slippers.
She got stuck in a different fairy tale,
the one with a wolf in it,
and luckily he was friendly.
(Big teeth, but what a fulsome grin!)
and luckily he was friendly.
(Big teeth, but what a fulsome grin!)
For some years, she felt like
the aging woman in the Dickens parlor,
draped in spiderwebs,
waiting decades
for her suitor to arrive.
for her suitor to arrive.
She was always brushing
those damn cobwebs
off her face.
off her face.
Un-fairytales are her medium.
Definitely.
She has got un-fairy tales
down.
down.
She learned to hack her own way
through the thornbushes,
freed herself from her own stone garret.
She and her wolf had fourteen years
of wilderness, with brave hearts
for the journey. No need
to be rescued by a knight
on a white horse;
wild beaches and forest trails
were all they needed.
of wilderness, with brave hearts
for the journey. No need
to be rescued by a knight
on a white horse;
wild beaches and forest trails
were all they needed.
Un-fairy tales can get repetitive,
what with all that pining.
what with all that pining.
One may feel like she is beginning
a new chapter every other week.
It gets exhausting.
And delicate sensitivities?
One needs to toss those overboard
right from the start,
develop a hearty cackle
and a Can-Do attitude.
(But she still Believes,
for all that,
in fairy tales.)
For my prompt at What's Going On : Un-Fairy Tales.
Yes, people do tend to toughen up with age.
ReplyDeleteI...don't yet feel the urge to cackle, the way my otherwise ladylike grandmother did, when people fall down. (Though when they're claiming to be hurt by politically incorrect words, I do tend to hoot.)
pK
Always good to be able to be fight your way through the thorns and forests - and I’m glad despite the hardship she still believes in fairy tales - Jae
ReplyDeleteEven in an un-fairy tale when you have a friendly wolf as a true companion it does become a fairytale. And how sweet is the 'hearty cackle' and 'Can Do attitude'!
ReplyDelete(Cackling away as I secretly (shhhh....) still believe in fairy tales !!!) And I love the part about eating the pea for extra strength - bravo!!
ReplyDelete"develop a hearty cackle
ReplyDeleteand a Can-Do attitude." Indeed! You show how much strength a wild woman needs in this brilliant mash up of tales. Much truth, much fun.
I love that she still believes in fairy-tales after all that...one has to be strong to hack through thorn bushes. Remember you are always stronger than you think...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful unfair tale. You are the best!! I loved reading your story. annell
ReplyDeleteYou are no Miss Havisham, Sherry. Your spirit burns far too brightly for that.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter had never heard this on, so I may share your version.
ReplyDeleteA modern and unique slant on the old fairy tales, which I loved as a child, but grew up doubting. It’s better to eat the pea, but if it’s dry and hard, cook it first! And pebbles come in handy when you are lost in the forest. You were blessed to have your wolf by your side, Sherry, and wild beaches and forest trails. I love the hearty cackle and Can-Do attitude. And I still love fairy tales too.
ReplyDeleteHacking her way through the thorn bushes of life always meeting the challenge....well done Sherry !.....Rall
ReplyDeleteThis is a great write - love "She was always brushing those damn cobwebs off her face." - It spins a magical web of life. Well done.
ReplyDelete"She ate the pea; she needed the extra strength for the journey," haha--that made me grin! I agree, get rid of the "delicate sensitivities," they aren't much help in the real world!
ReplyDeleteLOVED "She ate the pea;
ReplyDeleteshe needed the extra strength
for the journey" (good on her!) and equally loved the ending, she still "Believes" because for all un-fairy tales "are her medium," it takes "extra strength" to believe too. This really spoke to me, Sherry. So good.
Oh I can hear your voice throughout - in the can-do attitude - in the wild woman - in the laughter - in the vulnerability and belief in the end in fairy-tales and in your beloved wolf! A wonderFULL tale!
ReplyDeleteoh .. and yes, I too loved that she ate the pea!!
ReplyDelete