The Four Charms -a fairy tale of inner wisdom Read online

‘Finally!’ said the Wicked Witch when she saw the princess.

  Rebecca was so out breath she could say nothing.

  ‘Oh dear, you are a fine mess. I suppose it can be expected after a quest, but really. Anyway, where are my charms?’

  ‘What?’ murmured the princess.

  ‘Where are my four charms?’

  Rebecca felt her whole body go cold. The charms! Oh, no, no, no, no, no. How could she have made such a HUGE mistake? She had forgotten to look for the charms! Worst yet, she didn’t even know what they were.

  ‘I’m waiting,’ chanted the witch, tapping her foot on the floor. ‘I have to finish my homework by tomorrow if I’m to graduate from Witch University next week.’

  Princess Rebecca just looked at her in silence.

  ‘You did find my charms, right?’

  ‘I...I...I...’

  ‘The answers are in you, open your eyes, your mind and your heart’

  Rebecca blinked. She tried to remember what she had learned about charms and magic at Princess School.

  ‘Well... it depends...what kind of charms are we talking about?’ the princess asked.

  ‘What?’

  Rebecca could feel the key in her pocket, tingling, her little voice repeating the message somewhere inside the princess’ mind.

  ‘The answers are in you, open your eyes, your mind and your heart’

  ‘The Wizard World Dictionary,’ continued Princess Rebecca, ‘explains what a charm is in different ways. It can be something you hang on a bracelet, or a magic spell, or magic words, or being nice and have everybody like you.’

  The witch narrowed her eyes and lifted her broom.

  ‘You don’t have my charms, do you?’ she hissed.

  ‘I do, I do, it’s just that they are not what you may be expecting, you know, hanging jewels for a bracelet...’

  ‘What are they then?’

  ‘They are more like...like...jewels of wisdom. Magic words, if you will.’

  The witched looked unconvinced.

  ‘Really? Let’s hear them then!’

  Rebecca bit her lower lip.

  ‘Fine. The first one is...is...’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Frog.’

  ‘Frog?’

  ‘Yes. You see, a frog starts as a tadpole, a little, tiny thing that looks nothing like a frog, but no matter how small it is, it’s still a frog, on the inside and has all the abilities a frog has. So when you feel like you can’t do something, because you are not big enough or smart enough, you say “Frog” and that’ll remind you of being your true self and to use your abilities to solve your problems.’

  ‘Uhmmm, interesting. So what’s the second charm?’

  ‘The second charm? Er...the second charm is... Shoes!’

  ‘Shoes?’

  ‘Yes, because you wear shoes to walk, and, and the journey of the many, many, many miles, starts with the first steps. So you can have all these dreams or ideas or challenges, and you can think or worry all you want about them, but nothing will happen until you take the first steps... to do... something.’

  ‘I see. And what’s the third charm?’

  ‘The third charm is, Lucky Clover.’

  ‘And what does the clover do?’

  ‘Well, the clover reminds you that luck can go one way or the other. But it also tells you that there are times, when you make your own luck - like when you sit on a clover and tell it you will pull out its leaves until it helps you - and times when you have to trust that things will turn out fine, like when a clover promises to help and it actually does.’

  ‘That’s very true. How about the forth charm?’

  Rebecca breathe in deeply.

  'The fourth...ah, the fourth...'

  Rebecca touched the key in her pocket.

  ‘The fourth charm is key, a key to your insides...

  'That's disgusting.'

  'No, I mean what is inside of you, like, in your soul and the wisdom you can find there.'

  'What kind of wisdom?'

  'Well, the wisdom that lets you see that...there are no mistakes...event the worst error can teach you something great. It can help see things...differently. And opens yourself to the knowledge inside.'

  ‘Well Princess, you have kept your part of the bargain, so it’s my turn to keep mine.’

  The Wicked Witch aimed her broom at the entrance to the balcony.

  ‘Abrus kah-hah dah-broos, parh-toos, pahr-tain, let those who are now stones, be humans again!’

  Blue and red ribbons of light flew from the broom, twisting and turning around the palace, making rocks in the great hall, the kitchen and the courtyard whirl and sparkle and turn back into people.

  ‘I’d better go now,’ said the witch, mounting her broom. ‘I don’t think your family and friends will be too happy with me right now. Happy Birthday princess, thanks for the charms!’

  ‘Good luck with your homework!’ Rebecca shouted as the witch rose in the air.

  ‘Stop that witch!’ a deep voice called out from behind the princess. It was the king with his archers.

  ‘Dad!’ Rebecca exclaimed, throwing herself into her father’s arms. ‘You’re back!’

  ‘Yes sweetheart, and now I’m going to make that witch pay. Aim high!’

  ‘No!’ Princess Rebecca said, pushing the arm of one of the archers.

  ‘What?’ asked the king, confused. ‘Don’t you know what the Wicked Witch did?’

  ‘I do,’ Rebecca answered smiling. ‘She made my wish come true. Last night I asked the stars to give me bravery and cleverness, and thanks to her, I now know that I can be smart and I can be brave and I don’t have to be afraid about becoming an apprentice. As weird as it sounds, the Wicked Witch has given me the best birthday present ever.’

  The king caressed his daughter’s cheek and hugged her.

  ‘Let’s go in then. There is a birthday party waiting for you.’

  The king and the princess walked together to the great hall. Everyone cheered when they saw her. There were ‘ahs’ and ‘ohs’ as Princess Rebecca told them about her quest; they ate delicious food, played fun games and then sat to watch, as the princess opened and showed all her wonderful presents. At the end, a small brown box was left, but no one knew who it was from.

  ‘Open it anyway my love,’ the queen told Rebecca, ‘let’s see what’s inside.

  Princess Rebecca did so and gasped. She looked around and then took out the gift for all to see. It was a silvery bracelet, from which four sparkling charms hung: a frog, a pair of shoes, a clover and a key.

  The end

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  Thank you for reading Rebecca's story. I hope you found it enjoyable and inspiring.

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