Saturday, August 24, 2013

Schneewittchen & Rosenrot



painting by judith clay


Schneewittchen & Rosenrot

“Every once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life,
love gives us a fairy tale.”---Anonymous

Long long ago, when magic lived & evil could prevail,
in a small German village near the Dark Forest,
two young girls lived with her mother, an impoverished
widow, in a tiny hut, quite near the forest.

Rose-Red made friends easily, said what she thought,
always seemed to find the smile in every event, and
worshiped nature, loved to play outside.

Snow-White was taciturn & shy & loved to stay inside,
doing housework for her mother, or sitting by the hour
reading fairy tales, which she believed in.

One stormy early winter eve there was a loud banging
on their cottage door. Although everyone was terrified,
Rose-Red bravely went to the door and opened it,
to be greeted by a monstrous black bear, standing
taller than the doorway on two legs. 

Rose-Red could see immediately that the big bear
had kindness in his eyes. He told them that he would
never hurt them, that he was not that kind of bear.

They could see him shivering, with ice pellets hanging
from his jaws so they decided to let him in. He was
happy to lie in front of their small fireplace, and
he told them how strange & unhappy he felt:

“For some reason, all my bear companions disappeared
last week. I called them over & over, but they never
answered me. I am all alone, and I don’t know why.”

The girls patted him dry with one of their old tattered
blankets, & soon they were all laughing & playing
& rolling around the floor. The mother had to chide
them for their unbridled friskiness before they broke
some of the furniture. 

Early in the morning, the bear left, waving at them
until he was out of sight. He returned that night
with an armload of dry wood, and two wild turkeys
under his arm. They feasted on the birds, and
built a roaring fire. 

All winter he was their guest
in the evenings, and he brought them venison,
rabbits, & more turkeys. Even the wolves, who
used to boldly approach the hut, began to stay
far away from them. 

After the snow melted, mid-Spring, the bear
wept as he told his ladies that he had to leave
them for a few months, in order to go and guard
his treasure from a wicked dwarf wizard.

They missed their big bruin friend, of course.
One summer day while walking in the woods,
the girls came upon a dwarf who had his long
beard stuck in a thorn bush. Rose-Red used her
flower shears, and cut him loose. Rather than
being thankful, he was outraged; how dare
they cut off his magnificent beard. 

Seven times that summer they came upon the
dwarf again, and each time he was in some kind
of peril. Each time they saved him, and every
time he became angry rather than grateful. 

In early Fall, while out picking mushrooms, 
the girls heard a terrible commotion, and
they came upon the bear preparing to slay
the dwarf. 

He begged the bear to kill the girls rather 
than him, the bear became angry
and slew the evil wizard with one
swipe of his huge lethal paw. 

Instantly the bear turned into a handsome prince,
and he thanked the girls for helping him through
the frozen winter. The dwarf had stolen precious
gems from the prince, and then placed a curse
on him, turning him into a bear. 

The prince understood what he needed to do next.
The two young girls, and their mother, were moved
into the palace, and on Christmas Day, the prince
married Snow-White, who believed in such things,
and Rose-Red married the prince’s brother. 

Sometimes if we believe enough in something,
the Universe pays attention, and obstacles
are eliminated, and we get what we wish for;

too bad that is too often not enough for some,
and even fairy tales end up in divorce courts,
or as beheading spectacles. 


Glenn Buttkus

August 2013

Posted over on dVerse Poets Poetics

Would you like to hear the author read this poem to you?

16 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ha. i was wondering where you were...smiles....it was well worth the wait brother....what a tale...and i am glad they took care of the old bear and he them in the end....i rather like: Sometimes if we believe enough in something,
the Universe pays attention, and obstacles
are eliminated, and we get what we wish for

and hope this one stays out that court and neck attached....smiles.

Claudia said...

smiles... i'm all for fairy tale ends in love stories you know... and i live close to the black forest - so you never can be sure who i really am...smiles

Anonymous said...

Oh I loved this, thanks for the fairy tale! :)

Marina Sofia said...

This was one of my favourite stories as a child - I suppose because I dreamt of having a sibling. It was such a lovely fairytale and then you get all cynical at the end. But I like that contrast!

kaykuala said...

too bad that is too often not enough for some,and even fairy tales end up in divorce courts,
or as beheading spectacles.

That is true! Somehow fairy tales have wonderful endings befitting of fairy tales except the odd few! Great story, Glenn! One gets mesmerized by the goodness of fairy tales. Brilliant take!

Hank

Kathy Reed said...

A joy to read this one, a mixed bag of fairy tales all in one story...a bit of Hansel and Gretel, some Teddy Bear Picnic, and the evil and good scenario of a wicked queen and some adventure...wow!!

Kathy Reed said...

....I meant a wicked elf...

Mary said...

Ah, I like the idea of believing in something strong enough that the universe pays attention! I believe.... I believe...

I enjoyed your fairy tale and the happy ending for Snow White and Rose Red; and we will hope that neither ends up in the divorce court.

brudberg said...

Wonderful fairy tale... I'm sure I read it as a kid.

Victoria said...

This spoke straight to the child I used to be, Glenn. Reading it, it was as though I couldn't get through it fast enough to find the ending. You are a story-teller par excellence. Warmed my heart!

Unknown said...

Glenn, you sir are amazing! A wonderful fairy tale from this painting. Divorce Court Fairy Tales: The fantasy is never so sweet!

Truedessa said...

A great fairy tale. I enjoyed this from start to finish. I agree sometimes if we believe enough the universe will listen. I would like to hear the author read this to me.

Judy Mauer said...

Schneewittchen & Rosenrot speaks to me.

George Polley said...

Thank you, once again, for sharing your poetry to me. I wish my publisher was publishing poetry, as I would surely recommend yours to them.

Enjoy your day,

George

Mystic_Mom said...

I love a wise tale with strong women and bears who can be princely! Well done my friend, well done!

Maude Lynn said...

What a marvelous tale!