A rose petal, a red ribbon and a kiss. (A fairytale)

Once upon a time there was a young girl called Esme who lived with her cruel stepmother.

Her stepmother hated her because she was jealous of her beauty and would always send her out to do impossible tasks just so that she could punish Esme for failing them.

And, one day her stepmother said to her, “Go and pick the pretty rose that grows at the top of the tall mountain at the edge of the lake and bring it back to me”.

So Esme went to do as her stepmother instructed but when she got to the mountain, she saw that it was so tall that there was no way she would ever be able to climb to the top of it.

“Oh no”, she said, “My stepmother will beat me for sure when I come home without a rose”.

Just then, however, an eagle flew down and landed on the branch of a tree that was next to her.

“I will fly to the top of the mountain and pick the rose for you”, said the Eagle, “If you promise to give me one of its petals”.

Desperate, Esme agreed to give the Eagle what he wanted and then, spreading its great, golden wings, the eagle flew up to the top of the tall mountain and picked the rose with his beak before flying back down and giving it to Esme.

Then, as she had promised, Esme gave the eagle one of the petals of the rose and, happily the eagle flew away.

When Esme returned to her stepmother with the rose, her stepmother was furious and, though she didn’t beat Esme, she sent her to bed without any supper.

And the next day, when Esme arose, her Stepmother had yet another impossible task for her.

“Bring me the big pearl from the golden shell that lies at the bottom of the lake in the woods”, she said.

And, once more Esme went to do as her stepmother had ordered but when she got to the lake in the woods, it was so deep that she worried she might drown.

“Oh no”, she said, “My stepmother will beat me for sure when I come home without a pearl”.

But just then, a large silver salmon popped up its head from the lake, “I will dive to the bottom of the lake and get you the pearl from the golden shell if you promise to give me the red ribbon from your hair”.

Remembering the Eagle that had fetched her down the rose from the mountaintop, Esme gladly agreed to what the Salmon asked for and then, swishing its long silver tail, the salmon dived down deep to the bottom of the lake and, soon after, returned with the pearl in its mouth which it dropped at Esme’s feet.

And, as she had promised, Esme gave the salmon the red satin ribbon from her hair and, happily, the salmon swam away.

When Esme returned to her stepmother with the pearl, however, her stepmother flew into a rage and, though she didn’t beat Esme, she locked her in a dark cupboard.

The next day, when Esme awoke, her stepmother let her out of the cupboard. She had thought up yet another impossible task for Esme; one that she was sure Esme would fail.

“Bring me honey from the beehive that hangs on the silver oak tree near the edge of the wood”, she said.

And so, once more Esme went to do as her stepmother ordered her but when she got to the silver Oak tree near the edge of the wood she saw that the tree was very tall and she was afraid of being stung by the angry looking bees that were buzzing around the hive.

But, just as she was starting to despair again, a large brown bear appeared from behind a bush.

Esme was afraid of the bear at first but then the bear spoke.

“Don’t be afraid”, said the bear, “I’ll get you the honey from that hive at the top of the silver oak if you promise to give me a kiss”.

Remembering the Eagle who had fetched her the rose from the mountaintop and the Salmon who had brought her the pearl from the bottom of the lake, Esme gladly agreed to give the bear what he asked for and then, standing up on its hind legs, the tall brown bear reached up into the tree and got honey from the hive which he gave to Esme who collected it in a honey jar.

Then, as she had promised him, Esme gave the bear a kiss upon the nose and the bear, getting back down onto all fours, crawled away happily.

When Esme returned to her stepmother with the honey, her stepmother was boiling with anger, in fact she was so angry with Esme that she picked up a kitchen knife and chased Esme out of the house swearing that she would kill her.

But, as she was chasing Esme through the forest, a young and handsome man appeared and, seeing the stepmother was intent on killing Esme, drew his sword and ran it through the stepmothers wicked heart.

“Who are you?”, Esme asked the man shyly, seeing that he had saved her.

“I am Prince Haram”, he said, smiling kindly, “Long ago a witch turned me into an eagle, saying that only when I had received a rose petal, a red ribbon and a kiss from a young maiden would I become human again”.

Then, lifting Esme up onto his white horse, they rode off together, back to his palace and later they were married and lived happily ever after.