Self-Written Fairytales

The Beautiful Pierogi Maker

As the beautiful Natalka sold the last batch of her fresh, mouth-watering pierogis, she closed up shop and wandered the town.

People halted everything they were doing and stared at her beauty. Her long, blonde, curly hair flowed behind her, sparkling the breeze. Her brown doe eyes twinkled and gleamed in the sunset. Her dress clung to her figure, making all other women envious.

Young Natalka did not need to leave her home, in fact she really had no desire to, but making the women jealous and the men unfaithful was her favorite thing to do. She loved drama.

A little girl ran up to Natalka, and eagerly asked her, "Will I ever be beautiful like you?"

Natalka gazed down at the girl, smiling. The little girl had dirty brown hair that was tied into two tight braids. In the braids, twigs and grasses were stuck in them, probably from rolling on the ground, or from doing farm work. Her clothes and hands were caked with dried-up mud.

"Honestly, you're always going to be a farmer so you'll always be dirty and ugly," Natalka replied with a smile.

The little girl stared at the beauty, and her eyes began to water. Tears began to spill down her face and she ran away. The father of the child glared at Natalka and walked away to comfort his child.

Un-phased by the little girl's crying, Natalka continues walking and spots a handsome man. The man turns around, gazes at her, and winks. She smiles and waves back as she walks towards him.

"Why, you're one handsome man," she says softly.

"And you are one gorgeous lady," he replies, "Would you care to join me for a walk?" He asks.

"I would love to, but I'm afraid the mud would ruin my newly-made shoes. Maybe we could go in my house and talk," she says.

"That would be swell," he replies, linking his arm in hers as they begin to walk back towards her home.

As they walk they talk about all sorts of things beautiful people talk about. Things like flowers, weather, clothing, jewelry, and other things of the sorts. Natalka had never met a man as handsome as charming as him before. She was already falling for him, and she was secretly wishing her would court soon.

As soon as they arrived at the house, the man stopped talking. He instead plucked a single flower from the ground in front of her home, and handed it to her. The maiden stared at it and disgust was written all over her face. The flower was droopy and colorless. It was no where near beautiful.

"What is this?" Natalka exclaimed.

"Why it's a flower for you," he replied solemnly.

Natalka threw the droopy flower on the ground and grinded it with the ball of her foot.

When she looked up, the man was whispering something in his hands that she could not hear. He suddenly opened his hand that he had been whispering in, and blew wind onto Natalka.
**********************************

Natalka awoke, confused about what had occurred the night before. She decided to brush it off of her shoulder and continue on with her day.

She started by making a fresh batch of pierogis. When they were finished cooking, she started another. After the second batch finished, she opened up shop.

Although, something was definitely off today. Only women were coming to the shop. Natalka was positive that there was an issue.

For the rest of the week, things were the same. That was, until an old man came up to Natalka. He was very old and dull looking.

"Why, even in you're age, you're a beauty," he said, gazing at her.

"Old age, I am very young!" Natalka exclaimed, then she whacked him across the face.

"I apologize, I shouldn't have said that," he relied looking down, "Allow me to make it up to you. Walk with me, will you."

Natalka glared at him. How dare he insult her one minute, then act kind the next. Besides, why was this old man courting her? She was barely twenty.

"Maybe tomorrow. I am very fatigued," she replied snootily.

"Alright, till' tomorrow. Oh, what is your name?" He asked.

"My name is Natalka," she relied as she turned her back on him.

She did not turn back around until the sound of his footsteps disappeared.

She proceeded to close up shop, and go on her daily stroll around town. Again, no men stared at her beauty.

She approached a man who was standing by himself.

"Excuse me, but am I, or am I not, young and beautiful?" She asked, vainly.

The man just stared at her, then he replied, "Have you spent all day in the sun. You are an old and wrinkled lady. Maybe you were once young and beautiful, but now you are old and dull."

Natalka gawked at him. How dare he! She was young and beautiful. What had been getting into these men?

Frustrated, she returned home and prepared for bed. She payed on her cot for a while, tossing and turning. Natalka was confused. Two men had called her old and wrinkly.

Then, it occurred to her, the man. He probably had something to do with this.

Feeling satisfied, Natalka dozed off, dreaming of men gawking over her beauty.

The next day, Natalka was, again, confronted by the old, dull man. This time, when he asked her to walk, she went with him. The more she talked to the man, the more she realized what a great person he was. Was she falling for him?

**********************************

The newly-wed Natalka had been living a decent life for the past few months. She and her husband were in love. The more time she spent with him, the more humble she became.

Although things were going well for the couple, the town was talking. The men and the women were gossiping about how odd the couple was. The women had been saying that it was unlike the beautiful Natalka to love an old man. The men kept arguing that it was not Natalka, but a little old lady.

After about a week of discussion, the town had come to the conclusion the two were witches. One night, the town confronted the pair of witches. Natalka and her love denied being witches, but they could not explain the strange spell that was on her.

The next morning, the two lovers were burned at the stake. Until death, they held each other's hands.

On the next full moon, the ashes began to dance in the wind. Suddenly, they formed the beautiful Natalka and the mysterious man that she believed had cast the spell on her.

"What are you doing here? Where is my husband? How am I alive?" Natalka questioned frantically.

"My dear, I apologize. It has been me all along. I do love you and I am the old man. I cast a spell on you to make you beautiful on the inside. I apologize that you were burnt. The only reason you are alive is because you held my hand. My magic kept you safe. I am not a witch, but a powerful sorcerer," he replied.

Natalka stared at him. Was this true? Did he really love her. She still loved him.

"Prove it," she said.

The sorcerer turned himself into the old man, then back. After that he kissed her.

Natalka and the sorcerer ran away to somewhere where they could be safe and live happily ever after.