If you are just starting to read this, you might first want to go back to the beginning of this story – https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=5045.
When last we met, the unicorn and I travelled to the wise old man of the woods. Having learned that the unicorn’s 8 rescuers from a previous adventure (https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=4967) had disappeared, I was tasked as a storyteller and writer to write a story that would explain what happened to them and how they could be rescued, if need be. I was given a notebook and a pen to begin writing.
(Part 3 of 4 of The Unicorn and Me)
W – Planning For What To Write
Where do I begin? Now that I know who the eight are that need rescuing, let me look at them individually and what traits I know about them.
- Billy Goats Gruff: Three different sizes. Smart and can manipulate others by playing innocent. Big Billy Goat is a formidable foe with sharp horns. Good for pushing things off and away from something.
- Gretel: From Hansel and Gretel. Brave, smart, and has learned how to follow trails left by others.
- Jack: From Jack and the Beanstalk. Brave and daring. Can be very helpful if needed.
- Pinocchio: Wooden puppet. His nose grows longer when he lies, though he can be tricky. He convinced the lion that when it grows, he’s telling the truth.
- Lion: From Aesop’s The Lion and the Mouse. Blustery, seemingly unfriendly, but has learned that kindness to others reaps rewards.
- Teeny-tiny woman: Basically just a teeny woman. She can do things without being noticed because she is so small. She fits in small places.
Now, what are some elements of folk and fairytales?
- Numbers 3 and 7 appear a lot
- There are usually magical objects, gifts, or individuals involved. Kindness wins over being bossy and self-centered
- There can be enchantments as well as curses
- Wishes are granted
- The youngest or weakest of a group usually are successful.
- Occasionally, there are transformations of body and/or spirit.
- There are tasks that one has to accomplish to move forward.
———-
With this information, let me piece together what happened –
Druin (whose name I got from Blaze) had unstoppable bleeding from wounds that could only be healed by a unicorn. Logically, he would eventually die.
Druin makes his way back to his three children. Two older sons, Tom and Will, and the youngest daughter, Jill. They are told by their father what happened (leaving out some crucial parts) and asked to take revenge on the 8 who stole the unicorn from him, and prevented him from being cured.
The two brothers seek out the eight, with the intent of capturing or killing them all, and then getting the unicorn for themselves. They consider it an easy task; no one could stop them. On the way, they happen upon a wounded bird that asks for help with a broken leg, which they refuse to give. They think about killing the bird, but choose against it. “It’s not worth the time; let it die a slow death,” is their response.
Jill, on the other hand, chooses to stay with her father and comfort him. She takes breaks from being with him to step into the forest and regain her own peace of mind. She, too, runs into the wounded bird, fixes a splint for its broken leg, and shares some food with it. The bird, in return, suggests a nearby plant that can be used to slow down bleeding.
Returning to her father, Jill administers the tonic she makes from the plant to him, and the bleeding diminishes dramatically. She leaves the tonic with her father, with instructions on its use, and goes off to seek her brothers to share what she has found. Her brothers have been gone too long.
The brothers continue on their quest. They pass two other trapped animals seeking help and would have received assistance in their quest, but again, they refuse and prefer to have the animals suffer.
The brothers use false messages pretending to be the unicorn that entice the lion, Pinocchio, the three Billy Goats, and Jack to return to the cave where their father had kept the unicorn. Once all are in the cave, they seal it and the bolthole so there is no escape. Leaving all with limited oxygen to survive. Unfortunately, the brothers accidentally get trapped in the cave with them.
———
Meanwhile, the Teeny-tiny woman and Gretel, realizing that the others have disappeared, choose to try to find them. Using Gretel’s ability to follow trails, they make their way to the cave, which is now sealed. On their way there, they run across a mole that is trapped under a stone, and calling for help. They free the mole from the stone. It thanks them and offers them help should they ever need it.
———-
At the same time, Jill continues on her way through the forest, hoping to find a cave her father had talked about, guessing that that was where her brothers might have gone,
On her way through the forest, she finds a deep hole. She could hear some rustling at the bottom of the hole and a plea for help. Looking down in the hole, there is a small snake, obviously trapped, and in need of rescue.
“How can I help you?” she asked.
The snake looked up, with pleading eyes, and spoke, “As you can see, I’m trapped in this hole. I foolishly wandered through the forest without paying attention and fell here. If I don’t get out soon, my mother will be worried, and without food, I will surely die.
Jill looked around for something that might help. Going a little deeper into the forest, she found a large branch that had fallen from a tall oak. With some effort, she was able to drag it to the hole. She eased it into the hole, being careful for it to stay clear of the snake. When it touched bottom, the snake was able to climb out. It thanked Jill and promised that if Jill ever needed help, it would come and help her.
———
Having completed this, I share my story with the old man and the unicorn. It’s time for the unicorn and me to become part of the story.
To be Continued in X – eXpectations and Regrets
