THRICE Upon a Time...

Three Blind Mice ~1~

Three blind mice, three blind mice,

See how they run, see how they run,

They all ran after the farmer's wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a thing in your life,

As three blind mice?

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The Three Assistants travelled through Alvery. They hid under hills when it rained and slept beneath trees when the sky darkened. They counted stars, stole apple pie (well, at least Rapunzel did) and picked pink flowers.

Finally, after days of walking, they had emerged on the other side of the town. Only to be greeted by a large, vast meadow dotted with yellow and white flowers. 

"I AM A WORM!!!!" Rapunzel howled, rolling through the tall, waving grass. "I'M A WORM I'M A WORM I'M A WORM!!!!" Her two companions sniggered, watching her wriggle away.

Rapunzel suddenly popped up, blew her hair from her face and ran back.

"So Snow," Rapunzel grinned, flicking at a furry bumblebee. "Your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Um...truth." Snow White grinned back. Her friends had coaxed her into smiling again, despite her ugliness when she did.

"Seriously? You guys are SOOO boring!" Rapunzel whined. She walked thoughtfully, feeling the weeds brush against her legs. It reached up to her thighs. "Do you have a MAN in your life?" Rapunzel wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oooh, this is getting extremely good." Aurora laughed. "Well, speak up, dear Snow White."

"Aaah...the dwarfs count as men, right?"

"NOT THE DWARFS!!" Rapunzel roared. She beamed. "Someone tall, dark and mysteriously handsome. Someone...boyfriend material."

"My dad?"

"Do not bother to avoid the question, darling."

Snow White thought. "Hunter." she said.

"HUNTER!!" Rapunzel and Aurora squealed at the same time. Aurora had never seen this side of Rapunzel. Rapunzel was a GOSSIP. She obviously loved taking part in the grapevine. 

"Who's Hunter?" Aurora nudged Snow White.

"He hunted for foxes and boars for the palace." Snow White paused. "MY palace."

"Have you two...ever...y'know?" Rapunzel winked, a slow grin spreading. 

Snow White swung her basket around, hitting Rapunzel on the side of her head. She quickly backed away in case Rapunzel spontaneously combusted. "NO!!! THERE IS NO CRUSHING WHATSOEVER BETWEEN US AND YOU ARE BEING VERY DISTURBING SO---AAAAAAAAAEEEEEEIIIII!!!!!!"

Snow White swivelled around and very, very carefully lifted up her foot.

She had crushed a cheery red toadstool.

"Gawd, so THAT'S why you screamed? It's just a mushroom. An ugly one, too." Rapunzel scowled as Snow White frantically scraped toadstool off her shoe.

"Don't you believe in forest fairies, Rapunzel? They live in the toadstools and if you crush their house they will come after you and shoot you with bluebells." Snow White looked up from her shoe-scraping, wide-eyed. "And then...they'll turn you into FAIRY. DUST."

"Wow, whatta way to GO." Rapunzel snapped sarcastically. "Snow White, seriously? This crap is...just CRAP. Grow UP."

"...Rapunzel? Um...I...just look up, dear."