Jill
Will looked at his youngest daughter, Jill, and just shook his head. “Why are you so lazy?” he asked. “You should be like your older sisters Wendy and Tess. They at least do work and help out. They’ve each got a plan for their future and are going to be something in this world. You’re just like your Uncle Jack, good for nothing, You’ll never amount to anything.”
Jill thought to herself, “Yes I will.” She failed to point out to her father that a lot of the work that Wendy and Tess got credit for, was actually her doing it for them. She also didn’t want to mention how her sisters always played tricks on her and treated her rather poorly. Why would being like Uncle Jack be so bad? He was certainly well off. Things always seemed to fall his way. Jill decided that she would visit him and find out why.
Jack was pleased to see his niece. Looking at her reminded him of himself at that age. Always dreaming of adventures to go on, saving princesses, defeating giants, slaying dragons, and finding hidden treasures. Jill told her uncle what her father had said and asked Uncle Jack what it was like growing up with his older brothers Will and Tom.
Uncle Jack went on to relate some of his stories. He told her how Will and Tom were always the favored sons. How whenever their daddy needed something done, or when someone offered a reward for finding something, he would only ask Will and Tom. In fact, Jack had to beg to follow along with his big brothers. And every time he did go with them, they would play tricks on him and try to get rid of him so they could beat him to whatever prize was offered. Jack pointed out to Jill, that just being kind and helping people and animals in distress along the way, was what gave him the knowledge and special items he needed to succeed. He was indeed a jack of all trades but didn’t need to be a master of any of them, because he always had help.
It was the next day that the king made a proclamation that whoever could capture and tame the wild golden stallion known to inhabit the Enchanted Woods would win a great reward.
Wendy and Tess loved riding horses and asked their father if they could try and find the horse. Will, knowing what hard workers they were, said yes. Of course, Jill asked to go too. Reluctantly Will agreed. Her sisters, not too pleased with Jill tagging along, told her that she must do everything they said. No surprises there.
It didn’t take long for Wendy and Tess to lose Jill and be miles ahead of her. As was the case in these types of adventures, Wendy and Tess were only focused on obtaining the prize. So helping the old woman who was hungry, untangling a dog that was trapped in a bush, and freeing a bird that was caught in a net was not something they would entertain to do. Needless to say, they got hopelessly lost in the Enchanted forest.
As for Jill, she did follow the path her sisters took. When she met the woman in need of sustenance she shared the meager food she had. She was rewarded with words to use to tame the horse. When she untangled the dog, it thanked her and told her when in need, she just needed to say his name. When she freed the bird, it too, spoke and said it would guide her to the horse.
And so it happened. Jill found the horse and tamed it, and rode it back to the king.
Of course, the king did not believe her tale and gave her a test to prove her story. She was to bring back a hidden gem that was kept in the king’s treasure vault. The king however neglected to tell her anything about the gem, where to look, or what it looked like. She was told that she would be executed if she did not return in an hour with the gem, for that is what was done with liars. Then she was taken to the treasure vault, and locked in, and told she would be released in an hour. The vault was large and filled with countless gems in the form of jewelry, trunks full of gold and silver, lavish clothing, and priceless objects.
Things looked bad for Jill. She may have been a jack of all trades, with all the things she had learned and done for everyone, but for sure, was a master of nothing that she could see to get her out of this dilemma. It was then that she remembered the words of her Uncle Jack. “Be kind and help people and animals in distress along the way.”
She called out the name of the dog she had rescued and it suddenly appeared in the vault with her. She explained the situation she was in and the dog immediately sorted through all of the gems in the vault and returned to her with an emerald ring.
When released from the vault at the end of an hour she returned to the king and presented him with the emerald ring. She wasn’t even asked how she found it. The king having given many tasks like this over the years to suspected liars, accepted Jill as being truthful and excused her from the usual three tasks needed to prove herself.
Her reward was such that she now had enough riches to go out on her own and seek out new adventures. Her only request was that the king send out servants to find and guide her two sisters back home. After all, she was her Uncle Jack’s niece, and that’s what he would have done.
Jack was nimble, Jack was quick
Jill learned well and did his schtick
Neither needed to learn a trade
Through kindness, they both did find aid
Though siblings thought to give them stress
Their stories ended with success
