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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, I had sketched out my thoughts as a storyteller, what had happened to the eight unicorn rescuers that had disappeared, and where they were being held. Now, the unicorn, Jill, Gretel, the Teeny-tiny woman, and I need to use that information and what we found to help everyone end this story.

(Part 3 of 4 of The Unicorn and Me)

X – eXpectations and Regrets

Inside the cave, lots of things were taking place. Tom and Will sat crying in the corner, feeling hopeless and angry at themselves for what they had done and fearful that if they didn’t die from suffocation, they would be eaten by the lion or gored by the billy goats. 

Jack asked them why they had done what they had done. Hearing their answer, they were quite surprised when Pinocchio told them the real story behind their father’s condition. 

“What fools we are,” said Tom, “we should have known better.” 

Will added, “We’re all going to die on account of our father’s greed. “We should not be like him.”

“We’re not dead yet,”  said the lion, which surprised both Will and Tom as they did not know that animals could talk. 

Author’s note: Remember, one of the conditions for hearing animals talk required being kind. Could Will and Tom’s regret for what they had done be an indication of an attitude change? 

The lion looked at Pinocchio and was curious why Pinocchio’s nose hadn’t grown. 

The three Billy Goats Gruff were using their horns and trying to move some of the blockage from the cave opening. 

Jack convinced Will and Tom to help by working on the blockage of the bolthole. Watching all the others work so well together, they willingly agreed.

————

Gretel and the Teeny-tiny woman continued moving through the forest following the trail when they heard motion up ahead. They hid behind some trees. A young girl meandered in their direction. Gretel stepped out and asked the girl who she was and where she was going. Jill introduced herself and said that she was looking for her brothers in a cave to prevent them from doing harm to eight others. 

That’s when the Teeny-tiny woman stepped out and explained who they were. 

All three of them were in agreement. Knowing where they were going, Gretel led the way to the cave, only to discover it was completely blocked.

————

Meanwhile, Blaze and I had decided to go to the cave to look for everyone, figuring that is the most likely place they would be. I leapt on Blaze’s back, held on to her mane, and the next thing I knew, we were standing in front of the cave next to Jill, Gretel, and the Teeny-tiny woman. 

The unicorn could sense who was in the cave, and that they didn’t have much air left,  but did not have the power to remove the blockage. 

“If we only had a way to dig a hole that they could climb through and escape,” said the Teeny-tiny woman. 

Suddenly, Gretel felt a tapping on her foot. It was the mole. “I can dig a hole underneath the cave, and into it. But it would only be big enough for the Teeny-tiny woman and me. 

“Then do it,” I said. “At least that will provide them with some air from the outside, while we find a way to get in. Dig as many air holes as you can.

That’s exactly what they did. The Teeny-tiny woman was able to fit through the holes and found the occupants struggling to breathe. She had the mole dig another hole going around the bolthole to get more airflow, which he did, after which he continued to make air holes. Slowly, they all began to breathe a little better. 

————

The unicorn found it difficult to stand still. She wanted to do something, but felt helpless. I turned to the others and said, “We need a way to remove the blockage faster. Do we have anything that will do that?

“I could try pushing some of it away with my horn, but that will take too long. We all looked at each other, but try as we might, we could not think of another way to do it. 

It was then that we heard a voice. “I can help.” Looking up, we saw a gigantic snake slithering down from a tree. All of us backed up, except for the unicorn, who lowered her head in a defensive position, and Jill.

Jill called out, “Who are you, and why would you be willing to help us?”

”You saved my child from dying,” the snake said to Jill. “He promised to help you when needed. I am that help. The venom in my bite can dissolve some of what is blocking that opening.”

Another voice chimed in from the ground, “Those in the cave are working together to remove and push some of the blockage out of the way. Working together from both sides should work,” said the Teeny-tiny woman.

“So be it,” said the snake. 

With the Teeny-tiny woman and the mole as the communication link, all went as planned. The blockage was removed, and those in the cave were freed. 

————

I had one more card to play in this affair before I would return to my own home. Generally, folktales end with happy ever afters. You’ll have to decide for yourself if this constitutes one.  

After getting freed from the cave, everyone shared their stories. Clearly, Tom and Will had changed. The help and support they gave everyone in the cave was admirable, and it wasn’t because they were only interested in their own survival. It was easy to forgive them.

Next came Druin. He was still alive when they returned. I talked with Jill, Tom, and Will and suggested that they go in first and share the story of their rescue, and what they learned, so that they could never hurt any of those involved, including the unicorn. 

Whether it was the fact that his children were still alive, the story that they told him, or the magic that generally comes when you learn the meaning of empathy and compassion, there was a change in Druin’s heart. 

When the unicorn and I entered the room, there were tears on Druin’s face. 

He said to the unicorn in a low, wavering voice, “I’m sorry; my greed and pride got in the way of seeing how important you are, and that you should be loved and protected, not exploited. Please forgive me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you and the others have done for my family.”

The unicorn said nothing. She just walked over to Druin, touched all of his wounds with her horn, bowed to him and his family, and left. 

I was taken home.

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

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.

At the beginning of this story, I discovered not a horse, but a unicorn in a field. This majestic animal was quick, and I named her Blaze. It appeared that she wanted me to join her in something important. I leapt onto her back and off we went to wherever this story is taking us.

(Part 2 of 4  of The Unicorn and Me)

V – The Visit

The speed at which Blaze took was far beyond my comprehension. The field we had started in disappeared, and the next thing I knew, we were standing in front of a forest. She lowered herself so that I could dismount. Then I heard a voice inside my head. 

“I need your help, O teller of tales.”

I looked around, and there was no one that I could see who could have spoken. Looking at Blaze, I spoke out loud, “Are these your thoughts I hear?”

“Yes,” was her reply. “In your land, it is not possible to communicate, other than through eyes and gestures. Only those who believe in things never seen and are open to their imagination can truly understand the impossible. In your case, we bonded through our eyes and thoughts. Though I couldn’t talk to you, you understood I needed your assistance, you trusted me, accepted my thoughts, and mounted on my back.”

“I take it, in this land you can talk, at least from mind to mind. Am I able to do that too?”

“With practice, maybe. However, there is no time for that. We need to save some friends of mine.”

“Who might they be?”

“In your land, they are referred to as folk and fairytale characters,” said the unicorn. “In our land, they are real. They were instrumental in saving my life some time ago. And now they have disappeared. I fear someone has taken them, and their lives may be in danger.”

“Who are they and how can I help?” I asked.

“To answer your first question, to you, they are called Jack, Gretel, the Teeny-tiny woman, three billy goats from the Gruff family, Pinocchio, and Lion. For your second question, I was told to bring you here, and that the old man of the woods would explain.”

“Where is this old man of the woods?”

“Follow me, and you shall see.

With the unicorn in the lead, I followed to visit this old man in the woods. 

We found him sitting in the middle of the path, holding a walking stick, and he seemed to be meditating as we interrupted his thoughts. 

“I see you have brought us the teller of tales. Well done, my friend,” said the old man. 

The old man turned to me and said, “I have heard much about you. Your knowledge and expertise in matters of folk and fiction are needed. The one you call Blaze has no doubt explained the situation to you. She will share with you the events that preceded this action, and you must determine, if you were writing this tale, who the antagonist might be, what their motives are, and how to rescue our friends. It is not a simple task.”

As I sat there, Unicorn filled me in on the backstory of her capture, imprisonment, and how she was rescued by the eight now missing. 

Author’s note: If you wish to read that story, click here. 

I thought about what the old man had said. I didn’t think that I was so worldly. Maybe he knew something about me that I had not yet learned, for it seemed that he could see things well beyond the present. 

“So you are saying I should write what I would do as a storyteller, and we should follow that lead and hope it works out.”

“Exactly,” the old man and Blaze said/thought at the same time.

I was handed a notebook and a pen, asked to sit by the old man’s fire, and allowed to write.

To be continued in W – Planning For What To Write

If you are just starting to read this, you might first want to go back to the beginning of this story – M – Mother’s Fault. https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=5059

When we last met, I filled you in on the background of Clara’s mother and father. Now let’s return to the cafe in the city where Clara has just discovered her mother, whom she thought was dead.

P – Perceptions

(part 4 of 4 of Clara’s Tale)

It was like staring into a mirror. The only thing that Clara could say was, “MOM?”

Her mother looked at her with kind, sympathetic eyes. “Is that what your father told you? It was probably for the best. You would not have understood, as he did not understand, why he sent me away. We all needed time to reflect and grow.”

Clara took this in. It didn’t make any sense. “I’m old enough now, so tell me.”

Clara’s mother took a deep breath and began her story. 

“We were in love once, your father and I,” she started, “then you came along. Your father wanted a son, and I wanted a child. I belonged to a group of women who believed in a concept called the ‘Divine Feminine’. It was a group that believed that everyone had within them a spirit, one that encourages intuition, nurturing, receptivity, and creativity. We would meet regularly and celebrate nature, the seasons, the phases of the moon, and reflect on our lives. 

There is also a concept called the ‘Divine Masculine’, which is associated with qualities such as action, logic, protection, and leadership. 

We have both of those within us, and the task is to balance them for a fulfilling life. 

After you were born, I tried to instill those qualities in you. You were very young and learned fast. 

Unfortunately, when your father happened upon one of our meetings, he only heard us from the outside and saw what he saw, without interpretation. In his eyes, we were a cult. He believed I was a witch. For that reason, he told me to leave. His eyes were clouded. He wouldn’t listen to the truth nor believe it even if I could have explained it to him. So I left. 

In my heart, I believed that there would come a time when you were old enough that we would meet again, and I could explain.”

Clara sat there and took it all in. She could feel the resentment at having been lied to, but she also understood what her mother was saying. She fondly remembered the travels through nature and the stories her mother told her. She also remembered the bond she had with her mother. Maybe this meeting with her mother was the connection that she was looking for.

“What do you have to do with The Magic Castle store?”

“I own it,” her mother replied. “If ever I was going to find you again, I hoped that you would be curious should you ever come to the city and see a magic store. It took a while, but my hopes came true. The question is, What do we do now?”

As her mother had been talking, Clara was already coming up with a plan. When she explained it, her mom was not only impressed that Clara could come up with it, but that it just might work. 

Clara went back home and said nothing to her father, other than that it was a good trip. She learned a lot about being independent. 

A week later, Clara came home from the library and said that they were going to have a presentation on ‘Perceptions of the World and Living a Good Life’. Clara wanted the family to go. She convinced her father and brother that it would be enlightening.

So the family went. It was well attended. There were two speakers that evening. The first speaker spoke about different spiritual ways to revere nature. He talked about the Divine Masculine and how it is part of everyone’s being. Action, Logic, Protection, and Leadership are its qualities. 

As he spoke, Sam looked down at Joseph and smiled. This was something he could believe in. This is what he was trying to instill in his son. 

The speaker went on to introduce speaker number two. “Our next speaker will speak about the Divine Feminine. She will show how each of us, regardless of our gender designation, holds both of these qualities within us. She will refer to ways we can look at our inner selves to balance them and restore wholeness within ourselves.

Clara could see her father nodding his head in approval. 

He turned to Clara, with a smile, and said that he was glad she had invited him to come. “We can all learn from this,” he said to her.

Clara just smiled. 

And that’s when Clara’s mother stepped out as the next speaker. 

Clara watched as her father’s jaw dropped. He was about to get up and leave, but Clara put her hand on his shoulder and whispered, “Let her speak.”

So he listened as she talked about the Divine Feminine. He listened as she shared that we all have both Masculine and Feminine in us. She talked about ways in which people practice reaching these qualities – through meditation, through mindfulness, through yoga, through meeting with others and sharing their experiences, sometimes by lighting candles and reaching for your inner calm self. Sometimes, by using cards, such as Tarot cards, as a tool for self-reflection, not prediction. To examine fears, motivation, feelings, and desires. She equated them to a structured journaling prompt. And then she stopped talking, asked for the lights in the library to dim, asked the audience to close their eyes, and try to find their own spirits.

Clara looked up to her father, as did her brother, and her mother at the podium. There were tears in his eyes. All he could say was “I’m sorry.”

If you are just starting to read this, you might first want to go back to the beginning of this story – M – Mother’s Fault. https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=5059

When last we met, Clara was visiting the city after her father reluctantly let her go. Her father was very clear that she should make good decisions. Clara came prepared with some items, including a pocket knife. After leaving a store called The Magic Castle, she was followed by a strange masked woman. Realizing this, Clara went to a cafe to hopefully hide. But the woman followed her and sat down at Clara’s table. Clara clutched her knife in her hand as the woman revealed herself. It was Clara’s mother, whom she thought was dead.

In this part, we will take a step back in time to discover her mother’s story.

(part 3 of 4 – Clara’s Tale)

O – Origins

Sam and Winnie met in college. It was love at first sight. He was a strong, somewhat opinionated man, with wavy brown hair, a short goatee, and brown eyes. She was a quiet, but knowledgeable woman, with long black hair and deep blue eyes. Their contrasting lives gave them much to talk about. They complemented each other perfectly, or so they thought.

They married right out of college. He found work as a salesman for a tech company. She worked at a local library as a research librarian. In addition to doing things together, they each had their own outside activities that they participated in. 

Sam had a group of men that he met with regularly at a local pub or at the golf course. 

Winnie had her local book group. They had regular meetings, usually at each other’s houses, except for Winnie’s. Sam never understood why, and Winnie always had an excuse, claiming that one of the women was allergic to something that was in their house. 

As time went on, Sam became a bit more insistent about Winnie’s attendance at these meetings. He was convinced that something was going on that might not be legal. 

And then came the pregnancy. Sam so wanted a son. He was convinced that that was what they would have. Sam had big plans for him.

And then Clara was born. Winnie was elated, Sam was distraught. 

Winnie spent all her time with Clara. She had so much to teach her. Sam kept a watchful eye on them both. 

Clara grew up fast in her first three years. She learned to walk and talk well before anyone should have at her age. Her mother took her to many places, while her dad went to work. Clara learned about the different plants that were in nature, what to call them, and how they could be used. She learned about different seasons and how they could be celebrated. Though Clara didn’t understand most of what her mother was teaching her, she listened well.

Sam could see changes in Winnie’s behavior. She became more assertive when it came to Clara’s care. She certainly was doing things that were kept from him.

Then Joseph was born. It was all that Sam could ask for. Sam was his son. As much as Clara had become Winnie’s prized possession, Joseph became Sam’s.

And that’s when their lives changed. While Winnie was nice and supportive of Joseph, her main goal was to make Clara one of her own kind.

Sam couldn’t care less. Joseph was his. As far as Sam was concerned, Clara was just someone who lived with them. Sam became more strict with Clara and more lenient with Joseph. 

Sam also became more abusive with Winnie, though he was always careful enough not to do anything in front of the children. They were completely ignorant of what was happening with their parents. 

Sam’s suspicions of Winnie’s activities came to a head when he followed her to one of her women’s group meetings. This was no book club. This was a cult. Spying through the window at the house where the meeting was held, he saw the women, with their heads bowed, lighting candles, placing them in particular positions, and circling them. He heard them chanting words that he couldn’t quite understand. Following their chants, he could see the flames of the candles changing colors. They appeared to be doing something with a deck of cards. He could see some of the names and pictures on the cards. He saw pictures of women with swords and wands on cards. He saw cards named Justice and Judgement. And then he saw a card labeled Death. This was not a deck of playing cards. It was then that he heard his wife’s voice. He didn’t catch what she was saying; however, he did hear her say the name, Clara. 

When Winnie got home, Sam confronted her with his findings. All these years of knowing her, he never realized that she was a witch. He wouldn’t even listen to her try to explain. He told her to leave. He demanded that she never return, see, or talk to either of their children again. In his eyes, she was dead. 

With a knowing eye, she left their family that night while the children were sleeping. 

All Sam told the kids was that their mother had died and moved on to a better place. He never explained anything else. Clara was only 5, and Joseph was 2.

Joseph didn’t remember much of his mother; he was too young when it happened. Clara, on the other hand, did remember. She remembered all the things that her mother had done with her. She took the brunt of all her father’s anger at her mother, for Clara looked exactly like her. Clara was convinced that it was her fault that her mother died. 

To be concluded in P – Perceptions