hdhstory.net

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Jack

In search of the lost stories of Selat, I found myself accompanied by Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother, traveling through the woods from Granny’s house to a village where a note left by Red said Red was going to meet with other story characters to discuss the waning interest in folktales. It had been two days since Red left, and we were worried. 

 The shortcut Granny used to reach the village appeared to be through an uncharted forest. There was no actual path to follow, but Granny clearly knew where she was going. She assured me that the village was not that far away. 

We had been traveling for about an hour when we stopped to rest. In the distance, we heard some movement. Fearing that it might be the wolf, we hid behind some trees. 

As the sounds became louder and closer, we realized that it was not the sound of an animal but of a boy who appeared to be seeking something or someone.

“Mother, where are you? I’m back,” he called. “You have to see what I’ve found by our house.”

Granny and I stepped out from behind the rocks, showed ourselves, and the boy stopped in his tracks. 

Standing in front of us was a young boy. He looked about 11 or 12 years old. He wore clothing befitting a peasant, his hair was mussy, and his shoes well worn. He had a concerned yet curious look on his face.

“And, who might you be?” I asked.

“My name’s Jack,” he said, “I’m looking for my mother. She got angry at me a few nights ago about a deal I made trading our old cow for some magic beans. She said I had been foolish and threw the beans out the window. She said we would discuss it in the morning when she returned from a meeting she was going to. She hasn’t returned, and I’m worried about what happened to her. I want to tell her what happened just outside my bedroom window.”

I introduced myself and Granny to Jack and explained where we were going. I asked, “I take it then that if you have been looking for your mother since she left, you haven’t climbed the beanstalk yet?”

Both Jack and Granny looked at me with quizzical looks on their faces.

Jack asked me, “How did you know about the beanstalk? That’s just what I was going to tell my mother about.”

Granny questioned me, too, “What beanstalk are you talking about?”

Answering this became a dilemma for me since I knew these were all part of the stories I knew from growing up in the Bronx, but did that mean that all these characters I’ve been interacting with were part of the same stories, or did they happen on Selat differently than my traditional tales. 

“I must have read it somewhere,” was my response. I quickly added, “Needless to say, it seems that we are all on the same quest. We must go to the village and find out what happened at that meeting?”

Jack immediately said, “I’m not afraid. Let’s do it. The sooner we can find my mother and return, the sooner I can explore where that beanstalk goes. I bet I’ll be able to climb it all the way to the lands above the clouds. I’ll bet there’s a fortune waiting for my mother and me up there.”

Granny also responded, “Yes, let’s go. Time’s a-wastin’. I don’t know how I could live with myself, knowing I could have helped my Little Red and did nothing.”

“Okay, Granny. Then lead on,” I ordered. 

So now there were three of us. Me a storyteller from New York, a feisty old grandmother, and a curious and clever young boy, all looking to find answers. 

Continued in…Kingdom of Selat

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Impossible

My friend, Ronald, who had unwillingly been thrust into this adventure to help me find all of the lost stories that had been stolen and the story characters who were kidnapped, now found himself in the clutches of none other than Captain Hook, who was also in search of his crew and the story he was supposed to be part of. When Ronald started this adventure, he had no clue what he was doing, and being captured by Captain Hook did not add to his confidence.  Had Ronald originally paid attention to the Caretaker of Selat when getting instructions, he might not have strayed so far off course. 

Now in the clutches of Hook, he was moving in a northerly direction, which should have been the way he was supposed to go the first time, had he not gone west instead.

Ronald and Hook were now on a path that led to a cottage just on the edge of the village. As they stopped to look at the house, wondering whether or not anyone was there with helpful information, a woman stepped out through the door. Before Ronald or the Captain could utter a word, this haughty woman was upon them.

“WHERE ARE MY DAUGHTERS AND THAT WRETCH OF A CINDER GIRL!?” she screamed. 

Again, before they could respond, this woman continued, “Isn’t it bad enough that I am left here on my own, with no one to do my bidding, fix my meals, clean my house, but my daughters just up and leave for some stupid meeting!”

“But, madam,” Hook said most eloquently as he bowed to the woman, “That is precisely what we are trying to find out, for we, too, have lost our compatriots to some meeting, some two days ago, from which, no one has returned.”

The mean-spirited woman stood tall. “Well, don’t just stand there like idiots! Go and find them!”

As they slowly backed away in an attempt to both acknowledge her demand and get away from her. She called out once more.

“You men are just as likely to get it wrong. I can see that you are both fools. You,” pointing to Ronald, “don’t look like you can even dress yourself, let alone find the time of day or a missing person. How do you plan on finding anyone?” 

“And you, Mr. La-dee-dah,” she continued as she ranted at Hook, “with all your fancy clothes, I believe that is a hook you have in place of a hand. What good is that? Ohh…Maybe that big sword you have will help…Poppycock! You couldn’t fight your way out of an empty basket! You’re both just stupid, and I don’t trust you!”

Before either of them could say a word or Hook could take out his sword and carve this woman to ribbons, the woman spoke again.

“I’ll be taking charge of this little group. And don’t even think to question my decision. I’m willing to carve off my own daughters’ toes and heels to get what I want. I don’t think you will stop me with your hooks and swords. And when found, my daughters are mine, and you can do whatever you want with that useless Cinder Whelp. 

Logic would dictate that Hook and Ronald would run away as fast as possible, but they did the impossible instead; they cowered to her demands and accepted her terms. 

Continued in…Jack

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Hook

Ronald had been given specific directions from the caretaker of Selat to go to an island to the north. There he would find me or others to help me search for all the lost heroes and stories. Instead, Ronald went west because he was not very good at directions and had no tools to help guide him. 

He had walked for a while when he came upon a village just off the coast of a large body of water. He had noticed several children running around playing games. None of them paid any attention to him. They seemed to be looking for someone named Peter. As he approached the body of water, he noticed a large ship in the harbor. It had a black hull and tall masts with white sails. On one of the masts, there flew a flag. On that flag were a skull and crossbones. This was clearly a pirate ship. 

As cool as it might have been to explore this ship, the idea of pirates scared Ronald a bit. As he turned in the opposite direction to leave, he felt a sharp point dig into his right shoulder, and a commanding and menacing voice sounded, “Now, where do you think you might be headed?”

Ronald slowly turned around, trying not to make that point go any deeper into his shoulder, and stood face to face with the pirate ship’s captain himself. Images sped through Ronald’s mind – kid’s looking for someone named Peter, a pirate ship with the Jolly Roger flag on it, a pirate captain who happened to be missing a hand, and in its place was a hook: “You’re Captain Hook if I’m not mistaken,” Ronald squeaked. 

“Well, who else would I be, Bloody Tinkerbell?” was the pirate’s reply, “Now answer me question.”

“I..I’m looking for my friend,” Ronald said. “He’s supposed to be searching for lost stories?” 

“What might these stories be, he’s looking for?” Hook asked.

Ronald’s answer was slow in coming, “I don’t know. I just know I must find him and others to help him.”

Hook was silent for a moment and released his hold on Ronald. It turns out that Captain Hook was missing all of his crew. He knew that they were an essential part of his story. They were all supposed to attend a meeting about how he and others had been wronged in stories. They were supposed to go together, but then Hook was distracted by this ticking sound coming from the water, and he was afraid it might be that bloody crocodile looking to eat his other hand. Hook hid in his cabin for two days, and by the time he came out again, his crew had not returned. He feared the worst. 

Ronald just stood there shaking. He thought about running away, but this was Captain Hook! He could not escape; if he tried and failed, he was sure he would end up walking the plank. 

Hook looked deep into Ronald’s eyes. “Well, this be your lucky day!” Hook said, “It seems like you and me are goin’ on an adventure. Now, where did you say this friend of yours is?”

Ronald stammered, “Somewhere to the north.”

Hook was not pleased. He had no crew to man his ship, and Ronald, definitely, did not look like the seaworthy type. “Then I guess we’re going to walk.” This time instead of his hook, the captain pulled out his saber with his good hand and pointed it directly at Ronald’s throat. “Lead on!” was Hook’s order. “And don’t be thinkin’ about running away. You wouldn’t want that precious body of yours to become a pin cushion, now, would you?”

Hook pointed Ronald to the north and pushed him forward. It appeared there were now two people in search of me.

Continued in…Impossible

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Granny’s House

Having successfully made it to the kingdom of Selat, given the quest to find all the lost stories somewhere in the northern part of Selat, taken by a talking beaver to the house of the three bears, finding only Red Riding Hood’s red cloak and a message that she’d gone to Granny’s house, I was now riding over a river and through the woods to Granny’s house. 

Though I knew the horse I was riding could talk, it didn’t say a word from when we left the bears’ house until we reached Granny’s, no matter how much I tried to engage it in conversation. I guess animals in Selat talk only when they want to. 

The trip was long. Without the horse, who obviously knew the way, I never would have found it. There were so many twists, turns, and forks in the roads that I would have been lost within minutes, even if I had a map or GPS, which I didn’t have. Based on the buildings and roads I have seen so far, I don’t think a GPS would have worked here. Technology was not the mode of operation in Selat; possibly magic was. I was wary throughout this journey and cautiously looked for a wolf, which I expected would show up at any moment. 

Eventually, we came to a single cottage in the woods. I got off the horse and moved towards the front door. On the other hand, the horse turned and returned the way it had come. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would Red be inside? Would Granny be inside? Would a wolf be inside, and if so, in what condition would it be in?

I held the red cloak as I knocked on the door. From inside, I could hear an old quivering woman’s voice call out, “Red, is that you?”

“No,” I replied. “I found Red’s cloak at the Three Bears’ house with a note that said she was coming here and that I would know the way. I guess she was expecting me to come here.”

“That certainly sounds like Red,” answered who I assumed was Granny. “Yes, you can come in. But don’t you be bringing any wolves in with you!” An angry-sounding Granny was obviously getting more confident.

I walked in through the door and did not see what I expected. Standing on her bed with a broomstick raised over her head was Granny. She was dressed in her nightclothes and looked ready to hit whatever came into her house with the broom. On seeing me with Red’s cloak, she slowly put the broom down and got off of the bed. 

“Can I make you a cup of tea?” she asked. 

I did not know how to respond. This transformation from an angry old woman to “Can I make you tea?” was way beyond my experience. 

I stuttered, “Ah…No thanks.”

Granny asked for the cloak and note, and I explained everything that had happened to me since this adventure started. 

“Well,” she said, “That explains a lot. The only way to effectively eliminate all the stories would be to eliminate all the characters in them.”

“But where would they all go?” I asked. Goldilocks and the three bears were gone, and as far as I could tell, so was Red. I continued, “What would convince them to leave? Could the wolf be involved in this plot? And why didn’t they take you? You are clearly an important part of at least one story I know.” 

That was a risky thing to say as I wasn’t sure if the characters in all these stories knew that they were part of the stories.

Granny had some of the same questions. She told me that Red had stopped by and told Granny that there was a meeting Red had to go to. Red left a note behind to pass on to a woodsman. Red had told her that she suspected a wolf might be coming by who might try to trick her and Granny. Red said under no circumstances should Granny let the wolf in. 

Granny ended with, “The wolf never came, and then you showed up.” 

“Can I see the note?”

Granny pulled a piece of paper out from the folds of her nightgown and handed it to me. 

It read:

Dear kind Woodsman,

Please keep an eye on my granny. I fear that there is a plot afoot to do her harm. I have been invited to a meeting in the village to discuss the recent decrease in peoples’ belief in our stories.  All of the characters from Selat have been invited. 

I will return after the meeting to take over for you. I’m hoping it will be a short meeting. 

Yours in story friendship,

L.R.R.H.

“That message was given to me by Red two days ago,” Granny said. 

Granny seemed to know a shortcut through the woods to take us to the village. That being said, Granny and I left a note for Red should she return while we were gone, explaining that we went to the village to see if we could find something out about the disappearing stories. 

Locking the door behind us, Granny led the way to the village. 

Continued in…Hook

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Friend

One of my closest friends is Ronald. Ronald has been my friend since elementary school in the Bronx. He was always coming up with ideas of things to do, and I trusted his judgment despite the opinions of others, mainly my family. Suffice it to say, Ronald and I had made a few decisions that didn’t turn out how I expected they would, but somehow we managed to survive, usually no thanks to him.

————- 

Ronald found himself staring at the storefront before him. The sign over the doorway read, “Ask your questions here. Limited supply.” Ronald did not know what to do. 

The last thing he remembered was that this woman stopped him on the street leading to my apartment. He could only recall that she had short blond hair and entrancing, vivid green eyes. He couldn’t look away. She had informed him that the bearer of tales was on a quest. This quest was crucial to the survival of his world and others. She said that Ronald was needed to assist in this quest as the friend of the bearer of tales. 

Ronald asked the woman, “What quest? Where is my friend? Why me?” 

Her response was simple. “The Bearer of Tales is searching to find and return all the lost stories. He is in the kingdom of Selat. And as I said, as his friend, it has been foretold that you will be involved in this quest.”

Before Ronald could ask any more questions or even say whether he was willing to do what was asked, the woman disappeared. He found himself alone in an uninhabited village which he assumed was in the kingdom of Selat.

Ronald rarely thought about consequences when it came to making decisions, which was one of the reasons we frequently got in trouble. With no one around to advise him, he chose to enter the store and see what he could discover. 

As he approached the door, it opened by itself. There was no one inside. He slowly walked up to the counter and saw a bell on it. He tapped the bell. Its sound rang pure and echoed throughout the room.

A voice called out, “Ask your question.”

The disembodied voice threw Ronald back. “Who said that?”

The response was, “That was your first. You have two more.”

“But you didn’t answer my first question,” Ronald called out.

The only reply that came was, “You have two more.”

Not willing to waste another question, Ronald asked, “How am I supposed to help my friend?”

The reply was, “Not a bad question. You have one more.”

This was getting rather frustrating for Ronald, who was used to getting immediate feedback when he asked a question. When he finally spoke up, this is what he asked, “Where am I to go to find my friend?”

There was a pause before the voice spoke again. 

“Your answers are – I am the caretaker of Selat. You need to find those that will help complete the quest. You are to go to an island in the North. That ends this transaction. You must now leave something as payment.”

Ronald was not fond of riddles. He was sure this was some sort of game being played on him. “You’ll get whatever you deserve should I complete this assignment.” 

“That is not how this works on Selat,” was the response from the less-than-pleased caretaker, “Failure to pay might alter the path you take.” 

“We’ll see about that,” Ronald called out. As he turned to leave, he muttered to himself, “I can find Harvey without his help. What could possibly go wrong?”

The caretaker’s voice faded in the distance as Ronald started walking down the nearest path, “Till we meet again,” was the caretaker’s call. 

Even accepting what the caretaker had told him, Ronald needed a better sense of direction. The path that he took led west.

Continued in…Granny’s House

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Enticement

Necroma, an evil, power-hungry sorceress, plans to take control of Selat and possibly other realms, including ours. Her plan involves getting rid of all the characters of folk and fairy tales and thus eliminating all those stories we grew up on that helped us become who we are.  Once the stories are all gone and forgotten, Necroma can rewrite her own tales to make herself the hero. She would reign supreme if no one is there to save the world from her evil scheme. 

Her plan was clear. Enticement and misdirection was the key. Sorcerers under her control would enter a town stealthily and send messages to the homes of folktale characters. For some, these messages included an unsigned invitation to a meeting of the storytelling council of that town to discuss the future of storytelling. 

There had been long discussions about the fate of folktales throughout Selat. Interest in hearing these stories had waned. People seemed to be more interested in themselves than in their folklore heritage. Something needed to be done to bring the world back to where it was when folk and fairy tales helped teach lessons to children that formed their character.

Receiving an invitation to discuss the issues of the future of storytelling did not raise any red flags. And so they came.

In the mountains of Loren, there came three billygoats, princes, princesses, little boys, girls, frogs, and others.

Don’t think that these meetings were held only for our folktale protagonists.

Some other invitations were sent out to the bad characters as well. These invites promised discussions about being wronged and what could be done to rectify the deaths of so many characters in folklore. You have to believe that giants, trolls, wolves, evil queens, and Baba Yaga herself were eager to attend those meetings, no questions asked. 

Once each character arrived, they were put into a trance and taken away to an unknown island, where through magic and incantations, they were stripped of their awareness of self and left alone to fend for themselves with no escape. 

A few characters were not caught, but they were so small in number that Necroma ignored them.

Continued in…Friend

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Destiny

It was a peaceful town lying on the outskirts of the kingdom of Selat. No one took much notice of it, so it allowed many nefarious groups to meet without being caught. 

One such group was meeting at this very moment. The group was composed of several sorcerers and sorceresses. Their leader was the infamous Necroma. 

Necroma was pure evil. She was tall with long shiny black hair. She was the essence of dark magic. She used her dark magic and cunning to bewitch others and control them. She aimed to become the most powerful sorceress in Selat and all other worlds.

“Our task is simple,” was her decree. “Once we have taken all of the tales of this world, the only story to be told will be ours. It is our destiny.”

“But how will we accomplish this task of stealing all of these stories?” questioned a lower sorcerer named Grenwin.

“It would be but a simple spell for me,” Necroma replied, “but that would be too easy. I prefer to take stories in groups randomly and maybe even mix them up a little. That will keep the folk heroes so confused that by the time we get the last stories and characters, no one will be left to save them.”

“Then we will be in control. We will be the writers of our future!” someone in the group shouted.  

“Yes, indeed,” answered Necroma, “I will be the maker of our future.”

Whether it was the group’s high energy or the loud cheering of approval, no one paid much attention to what Necroma had actually said. 

“TO US AND OUR STORY! TO DESTINY!” was the collective cry.

Continued in…Enticement

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Cottage

This quest to find the stolen stories of Selat seemed impossible. A mystic’s quest, a ghostly town, and now a talking beaver. What strange occurrence could be next?

The beaver’s path to wherever it was going may have been simple to the beaver. However, to me, it was a series of misfortunes. If I wasn’t tripping over some root of a tree, I was having my shoes fill up with water from sloshing through nearby ponds and streams. I had no idea where I was being led, yet I knew that this was the path I needed to take. 

We finally made it to a clearing, and there in front of us was a cottage. It was rustic looking, with no apparent occupants, and the door was ajar. 

The beaver stopped before the open doorway, turned to me, and said, “You must look for clues within. I have stayed with you too long and must disappear so as not to raise suspicion. When you have found what you need, continue to your next destination, which will appear behind this cottage. With any luck, you will meet the next helper on your quest. Remember, eyes are always watching you, and not all eyes are on your side.”

The beaver immediately turned around and headed in a different direction, not the path they had taken, nor one that was supposed to be behind the cottage. I was about to ask the beaver where it was going, but before I could say a word, a voice sounded, “All in good time.” And the beaver disappeared. 

I had no choice but to enter the cottage.

The first thing I noticed was that the contents of the house looked very familiar. There was a dining room table that had three bowls on it. Two were filled with breakfast porridge, and the third was empty. 

As I moved to the living room, I saw three chairs. One was sturdy, made out of wood; a second, relatively cushy, was covered with plush upholstery; and a third, much smaller, which might have been a chair but was broken, and pieces of whatever it had been were lying scattered on the floor.  

There were stairs leading up to another floor, and I guessed what I would find there. Three beds came to mind;  a big, a medium, and a small one, with the possibility of a little girl sleeping in the small bed. I was partially correct.

In the room at the top of the stairs were the three beds, as I expected, except no one was sleeping in any of them. I discovered something that did not fit where I was. I examined the smallest bed and the room and found a lock of golden hair, which made sense as I assumed I had entered the house of the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. However, draped across the window sill, with the window wide open, was a red hoodie, clearly in the wrong story. 

There was a note inside the right pocket of the hoodie, which read, “Gone to Granny’s. You know the way.”

As I looked out of the window facing the back of the house, I saw a shallow river that appeared to end in a wooded forest. I grabbed the red hoodie, went back outside, and walked around the house, where I found a dappled gray horse waiting for me. 

As words and music filled my head, “Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go…” it began snowing.

That song had nothing to do with stories. It was not even Thanksgiving. Then again, who knows what day it was today on Selat if they even celebrate the same holidays as we do?

I got onto the horse and said, “Lead on.”

To no surprise, it replied, “As you wish.”

Continued in…Destiny

This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link: 

https://www.hdhstory.net/Storyblog/?p=3431 

Otherwise, I’ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story.  

Beaver

As a storyteller, I am somewhat versed in fairy and folk tales. I enjoy a good fantasy as well as the next person. However, when put in the position that I am right now, where I have to find all the stories that have disappeared, apparently stolen, in a place that doesn’t even exist in my world, I’m at a loss as to what to do. 

First, I’m whisked away by some fortune teller to a realm called Selat. Next, I find myself in a ghost town, whose only inhabitant, if you would call it that, is a voice attached to an invisible store clerk who answered when I asked, “Where the stories had gone?” –  “They have been taken far away to the north.”

Well, I guess the prudent thing would be to start heading north. Since I have no idea where I’m going, as long as I keep going north, I guess I won’t be lost. 

The road I was taking seemed well-built for the first hour, but then the paved road became unkempt. I struggled a bit, ensuring I didn’t get tripped up by loose rocks or roots that jutted up from the ground when I came upon a small river leading up to a marsh. That was where the path ended. 

As I made my way to the marsh through the wooded area surrounding it, I noticed a movement on the ground along the banks of the river a few feet in front of me. Cautiously I moved forward along the bank, hoping to find a path again, when I heard a splash. It came from the marsh, which was just ahead. 

I got there in time to see a beaver paddling towards what appeared to be its home. It was built out of sticks, twigs, rocks, and mud. I watched as the beaver climbed on top of its lodge, turned, and stared at me. I studied beavers in school as part of an aquatic animal unit. I recollected that beavers’ eyes were supposed to be black. The color of this beaver’s eyes was vivid green. The same color as the mystic woman that sent me on this mission. 

The other thing I noticed was that though beavers’ lodges are supposed to look like mounds of sticks and mud and stuff, this beaver’s lodge was definitely in the shape of an arrow that pointed northeast.

It didn’t take long to figure out that this was no ordinary beaver and that the arrow was meant for me to go in that direction. 

Seeing the understanding on my face, the beaver then swam back from its lodge to me.

“If you would be so kind as to follow me,” was the first sound it made as it reached me. 

“A talking beaver?” I muttered. “What’s next, Aslan and the rest of the cast from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe?”

“All in good time,” was the beaver’s reply.

What else could I do but follow the beaver?

Continued in…Cottage