New Fairy Tales

ThreeSistersby AnnaNovitzkyOnce upon a time, when thestars were young, threesisters lived in a house in thewoods. The youngest wascalled Birth; the second wascalled Life; and the oldesthad many names.One morning the oldestsister wakened early. Sheroused her sisters and said,“Listen! I dreamt that I wassitting and spinning yarn onthe doorstep when up a wolf,with clear blue eyes like thesky in spring, came to me. Iasked what he wanted but hesaid nothing, only sat downand watched me spin. When Ihad finished the pile offleeces the wolf stood up andtook my spindle in his mouth.Then he turned and walkedback into the woods, his greytail swinging.”Birth, the youngestsister, who had light brownskin and pale blue eyes andgolden hair like the last ofsunlight, yawned. “Well,and?” she said, “What doesthis mean?”Life, the second sister,with her nut-brown skin andhazel eyes and chestnut hairlike shining bronze, tappedher own nose thoughtfully.“It is a dream of that which isto come,” she said, “for thewolf is the leader andteacher, and the woods arethe future, through which wetravel blindly. But I do notknow what it tells us.”The oldest sister, whoseskin was as white as newpaper, whose eyes flashedgreen, whose hair was blackas ravens’ wings with a stripeof white above one eye, leantforwards.“My sisters,” she said,“this dream is an instruction.We must each go out into theworld a different way, untilwe find our guides. Then wemust follow where they lead.”Now, Birth and Life knewof old that when their sisterspoke of such things she wasusually right, so theyresolved to do as shesuggested. That verymorning, Birth packed acomb and some clothes in asmall sack, took a little foodand drink, and set off for thesouth. Her sisters waved untilthey could no longer see her.Birth followed her nosethrough the trees until thesun was high overhead. Thenshe sat down on a fallen treetrunkto eat some bread. Asshe ate, a little golden lizardran out from under the barkof the tree and began to pickat the bread. At first Birthwas angry, and shooed itaway, but it did not flee; itsat and stared at her with itsorange eyes. Then Birth wasafraid, and she shooed itagain, but it spoke to her andsaid, “Ah, Birth, Birth! Whydo you flap at me? Can’t yousee that I am your guide? Letme share your food and rideon your shoulder and I willlead you on your rightfulway.”Birth saw that this wastrue, and the lizard climbedup her arm and clung to hershoulder with his claws likelittle pins, and they went ontheir way together. Presentlythey came to a castle where,on the lizard’s advice, Birthknocked on the door.The door was opened bya servant who wept. Sheushered Birth into the throneroom, where the king andqueen and all the courtierssat and lamented mostterribly. Birth asked what thematter was, and between thewails and sobs the kingexplained that a great dragonhad stolen away all theircattle and razed their cropsto the ground so that theyhad nothing to eat and soonwould perish.“But,” he said, “if youcan help us, I will give youwhatever you wish, and evenmake you my heir.”At first Birth did not wantto take the risk of fighting adragon, but the lizardassured her that he would tellher what to do, so sheconsented and was given ahorse and a sword. As Birthrode out through thecourtyard, she caught sightof the king’s daughter,waving luck to her from awindow. The princess was sobeautiful, with her creamyskin and flame-red hair, thatBirth fell quite in love.Before Birth had riddenquite up to the dragon’scave, she stopped the horseand the lizard told her where,nearby, she could find amagic stone and rope whichwould help her to defeat thedragon. She found them, androde into the cave. As soonas it saw her, the dragonreared up and struck at Birthwith its long claws. Birthleapt off her horse andtouched the magic stone inher pocket. At once she wasturned into a golden lioness,and she fought the dragonuntil it was subdued. Thenshe returned to her woman’sform and, taking the magicrope from her pocket, slippedit around the dragon’s neck.Issue 1 www.newfairytales.co.uk 15