The Wronged Princess of Doomsickle Pond--a cautionary tale

Once upon a time in a kingdom not so very far away there was a brilliant and beautiful princess who lived in a castle on a Pond. The castle had been the fortress of the princess' mother but was bequeathed to the princess when the mother decided to move to Florida.

The castle was always brimming over with laughter and joy because the princess, in addition to being brilliant and beautiful, was lots of fun--everyone that she met became her friend and wanted to share in the magical joy twinkling through the princess and the castle. Lurking among the many friends who shared the joy of the princess' love were two nefarious souls who would bring silence to the princess' joy for a time, but I'm getting ahead of my tale.

A year before the princess was to be married to the local boy who won her heart, she traveled to a distant land on a Fulbright grant. Also on the journey was a woman close to the same age as the princess and with whom she shared many common interests including planned weddings the following summer--just weeks apart. We'll just call the new friend the other woman. The princess and the other woman became fast friends and upon returning from their journey, they shared many an occasion in each others' company and in the company of their respective betrotheds.

The following summer the princess and the local boy had a beautiful wedding on the shores of the Pond. The Music Man played his guitar and the scribe pronounced the vows. As the cake was cut, a moose walked majestically through the reception area--"an omen" was the whisper that went through the crowd as the cameras clicked. An omen, indeed.

Just a few weeks later, the vows were broken, the local boy was in the arms of the other woman and the princess' heart was broken.

But that's not the end of the tale.

The local boy did not stop at breaking the princess' heart--he thought that the castle should be his. While still in the enthralls of the other woman, he made many attempts to claim the castle and all that the princess had possessed before she ever was his bride.

As time went by and the local boy kept hurling his poison arrows and sending Trojan horses, something happened to the princess. She remained brilliant and beautiful but as her heart mended, her strength increased. She became strong enough to withstand the poison arrows and to foresee the Trojan horses. Her sparkling joy still lit up a room but it held a more lasting light.

Finally, the scribe helped the princess undo what had been done and without a doubt, she will live happily ever after.