The Princess And Her Pudding

There was once upon a time in a vast kingdom, stood a castle. Built upon a hill, surrounded by forest. The walls were raised by stones, and pillars, sawed,cut, and shaved to fit the interior of every wall. Within this palace, everyone found happiness. All but the princess, who had loved her dear, sweet, missing prince.

“My pudding!” She sobbed. This was the nickname she had given him upon their marriage. For what was more sweet, and delicious, and desirable than pudding. She lay on her bed , dressed in her night robes of white. Salty tears flowed down her soft cheeks, and her long, hazel hair dropped lazily onto the cotton blanket. A large knock came, followed by the entrance of one of her servants. The woman cared for her, though nothing could be done. The prince was away, and no one knew where. Some people said he was searching for soldiers, some said he had perished. Though the princess truly did know, she still sat in her room, for nearly a week, wishing she had never met that witch. It all happened almost a month before. Her husband came into her room after their marriage night.

“My dear sweet love, I would like to give you a present. You must venture into the forest where you will find a hut. Within the hut will be your present.” Said the prince, dressed in his white suit, and golden crown. His eyes were more blue than the sea. And hers were more green than any forest canopy. So, with good-byes being said, the princess turned her heels to the great palace, and her small escort took her into the forest, where birds sang, and squirrels gossiped about their morning.

At dusk, her escort slid to a stop. A small house was built into the roots of a large redwood. Where even God needed to climb.  The small house was created from a mud, twig, straw,and-from the smell of it-manure concoction. The windows were created from some kind of sap.

“The prince ordered us to have you go alone, go ahead, we’ll be right here.” Said the captain of her guards. With a small amount of hesitation she tip-toed herself to the shack. As she neared herself the stench of manure grew until it drowned her and plugged it into her nose and forced her to wrinkle her face and cover her mouth from vomiting. 

The princess soon found herself approaching a large wooden door. The stench became greater. She opened the door, and within it, a woman, cloaked in black, slashed with wrinkles, and covered in dirt, stood in a sitting room.

“You must be the princess.” Said the woman. The princess introduced herself, and so did the older woman. She was a witch, and would be giving the princess a wish. “You  are only allowed one wish each day,even if you pay more than what your husband has paid for a wish each day for the next three days, so wish wisely.” The princess thought long and hard.

“I want a dress that will sparkle like the twilight stars at night, and shine as bright as the sun during the day.” With this, the witch took some white thread, and created a dress. When the princess thanked the witch, and walked out of the hut, it was night. She climbed into her carriage. Once inside, she undressed, and put on the white dress.

“It doesn’t work.” She sobbed aloud. But soon, the dress blackened, and nebulas and constellations began to form on her dress. When she arrived home, she explained her joy to her husband.

The next evening, she once again went into the forest.

“I want a necklace that will make people freeze and bask in its glory.” With this, the witch took pure golden thread, and looped it through a whole diamond, and small golden nuggets. It only shined when she wore it. That night, when she came home, she found her husband being, unfaithful. She was furious.

“Two days we’ve been married. And you do this?” She screamed at him.

“I will not tell you any lie.” He said. “I gave you these gifts, in hopes you could accept my apologies.” He explained.

“Why.” She sobbed.

“It isn’t my fault my I’m desired by all women.” He said proudly.

“It isn’t? Well, by tomorrow, it truly won’t be, I promised you this.” That morning, she went out to the witches hut, with her dress, and necklace, and an evil scheme.

“A little early, don’t you think?” The witch asked as the princess entered the shack, unannounced.

“I have my third wish. I wish my husband to be something every woman desires.” Sid the princess with her head held high in victory. The witch waved her hands about. The princess was proud of her decision. But, as she walked out, she realized that in all her glory, she had wasted her third wish. She told her guards to go away and come back later. One they were safely gone, she threw her cloak over herself, and went back to the witch's hut.

“Hello witch, I come with a wish.” She said, holding out a large purse of gold.The witch greedily took it, and asked her “What is your wish?”

“I want women to envy my beauty.” With this, the witch waved around. But, before she was done, a bird flew in and tweeted “No stop! This is the princess, she’s disguised herself for her own greedy needs”. In a rage, the witch thrusted her hands at the princess.  The cloak flew off, and witch shouted with rage. “You’re a liar! I will not grant you any wish, instead I will curse you. You will be the cause of your dear love's demise.”

The young princess went home that night, and on her bed side was a small green clay bowl of chocolate pudding. Her favorite treat, the thing she, and what she believed every other girl desired mostly. She ate it joyfully, believing it was an apology gift from her true love. 

“What is that you are eating?” Said one of the maid’s children. The princess smiled, and replied.

“It's my pudding.”