Charlotte and the Ogre

this was actually one of my favorite stories on the board. will you be posting the novel version here?

Reichieru wrote:Once upon a time there was a princess named Charlotte who was almost old enough to get married. The king really wanted her to marry because he knew he would not be around forever to take care of her. Suiters came from all over the kingdom, and even from a kingdom to the sounth.

"Oh, Mother, you mustn't worry so," Charlotte said. "There was nothing wrong with him or any of the other men who have come to call."

"Did you not find him handsome enough for you?" the king asked.

"Father, how dare you accuse me of being so shallow! Each man was as handsome as the last, and more. That does not matter to me. besides, everone knows we are the richest family in the kingdom. I do not wish to marry a man who has come riding up to the castle, hoping for glory and riches, as well as a quiet, obedient wife."

Truth be told, some of the suiters had left on their own, not telling the king and queen for fear of ofending them. Tales of the princess's beauty were greatly exaggerated. If one were to dress her as a miller's daughter, one would not be able to tell the difference. Charlotte was also not the quiet obedient girl you would expect a princess to be. Oh, she did as her parents and teachers asked, but she was often getting into mischief. She practiced horseback-riding and fencing with her brother, and was often found with the servants, helping with the cooking, cleaning, and mending. That was certainly not the sort of girl most noblemen wanted to marry.

"My dear daughter," said the king one day, "you must choose a husband soon. What will you do when I'm gone?"

"I shall rule along side my brother, I suppose."

But seeing how concerned her father was, Charlotte knew that she had to do something. "I shall seek out a husband for myself. That way, I can choose the right man for me rather than sitting around here and waiting for someone who will simply tolerate my behaviour and plain looks."

So, that very next day, Charlotte mounted her favourite horse and rode off into the countryside. She visited many villages, saw all manor of folk and discovered a world of wonders she had never dreamed of before. She had brought little gold with her, so she only stayed at inns which would give her a room in exchange for her services, which were many after helping with the servants at the castle.

"'Twas the miller's son, John. Business been bad fer poor Mr. Miller some eighteen years ago. Was runnin' low on food an' money. Wife's just died birthin' baby John two months afore. Mister Miller couldn't care fer the wee thing, and he was so hungry he'd do anythin' for a bit o' food. So when the ogre offered him a huge salad--"

"Naw! 'Twas a tin o' biquits."

"Sirs," she said. The men went quiet. "Do you know where I could buy a ladder? And perhaps a sleeping draught strong enough to cause an ogre to go into a deep sleep?"

The men told her what she wanted to know, as well as where the old storage tower was. Charlotte thanked the men for their help and set off to get the things she needed.

It was near dusk when Charlotte finally arrived at the tower. She climbed the ladder and peered into the window. there was the ogre, going about his business, as ogres do. And there was a young man as well, chained to the wall.

Lucky for Charlotte, the <a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=cooking%20pot" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=cooking%20pot" onmouseover="window.status='cooking pot'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">cooking pot</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">cooking pot</a> was right by the window. She poored the draught into the pot and got out of sight until she heard a loud thunk before climbing back into the tower, where she found both JOhn and the ogre asleep.

Charlotte searched the ogre's pockets until she found the key to John's shackels. The boy must have had some of the sleeping draught as well, for he did not wake as Charlotte carried him out of the tower. Nor did he wake during the whole ride the the miller's house.

The miller could not contain his joy at being reunited with his son. They hadn't seen eachother since john was a baby, but the miller knew he would love him as a father should. Charlotte stayed with John and the miller for a few days, until the miller asked her if she wanted to marry John.

"Yes, of course," Charlotte said. "But you must tell me one thing, Miller."

"What is that, my lady?"

What was it that the ogre gave you in exchange for John? Was it a salad or a tin of biscuits?"

The miller laughed and shook his head. "Both," he said.

It had some cliches in it and here is some commentary:

After the fiftieth nobleman left, feeling more than a litle hurt, the king and queen approached Charlotte to ask her why she had rejected him, and what could possibly be wrong with him.

Oh, Mother, you mustn't worry so," Charlotte said. "There was nothing wrong with him or any of the other men who have come to call."

"Did you not find him handsome enough for you?" the king asked.

"Father, how dare you accuse me of being so shallow! Each man was as handsome as the last, and more. That does not matter to me. besides, everone knows we are the richest family in the kingdom. I do not wish to marry a man who has come riding up to the castle, hoping for glory and riches, as well as a quiet, obedient wife."

Truth be told, some of the suiters had left on their own, not telling the king and queen for fear of ofending them. Tales of the princess's beauty were greatly exaggerated. If one were to dress her as a miller's daughter, one would not be able to tell the difference. Charlotte was also not the quiet obedient girl you would expect a princess to be. Oh, she did as her parents and teachers asked, but she was often getting into mischief. She practiced horseback-riding and fencing with her brother, and was often found with the servants, helping with the cooking, cleaning, and mending. That was certainly not the sort of girl most noblemen wanted to marry.

"My dear daughter," said the king one day, "you must choose a husband soon. What will you do when I'm gone?"

"I shall rule along side my brother, I suppose."

But seeing how concerned her father was, Charlotte knew that she had to do something. "I shall seek out a husband for myself. That way, I can choose the right man for me rather than sitting around here and waiting for someone who will simply tolerate my behaviour and plain looks."

So, that very next day, Charlotte mounted her favourite horse and rode off into the countryside. She visited many villages, saw all manor of folk and discovered a world of wonders she had never dreamed of before. She had brought little gold with her, so she only stayed at inns which would give her a room in exchange for her services, which were many after helping with the servants at the castle.

I'm tellin' ya. I know'd the miller's cousin. She told me 'twas a salad."

"Don't matter why he's up there, or for what price. A boy's been locked up in the top room o' that storage tower so long he ain't a boy no more, and an ogre's got himself a playmate for the rest o' that boy's life."

"Excuse me sirs," Charlotte said, getting up from her table, "but who is this boy you speak of? Is there truly an ogre in this village?"

"Well, now, looks like we got us a well learned lady her, by the way she talks," said the first man.

"Please, good sir, tell me of this boy. Why has an ogre locked him in a tower?"

"'Twas the miller's son, John. Business been bad fer poor Mr. Miller some eighteen years ago. Was runnin' low on food an' money. Wife's just died birthin' baby John two months afore. Mister Miller couldn't care fer the wee thing, and he was so hungry he'd do anythin' for a bit o' food. So when the ogre offered him a huge salad--"

"Naw! 'Twas a tin o' biquits."

The two men began arguing about what the ogre had bought the boy with. It really was quite amusing, but Charlotte knew that she wanted to find this tower and get John out. He knew nothing of the real world, and would accept anything she told him as the way things were.

"Sirs," she said. The men went quiet. "Do you know where I could buy a ladder? And perhaps a sleeping draught strong enough to cause an ogre to go into a deep sleep?"

The men told her what she wanted to know, as well as where the old storage tower was. Charlotte thanked the men for their help and set off to get the things she needed.

It was near dusk when Charlotte finally arrived at the tower. She climbed the ladder and peered into the window. there was the ogre, going about his business, as ogres do. And there was a young man as well, chained to the wall.

Lucky for Charlotte, the <a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=cooking%20pot" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=cooking%20pot" onmouseover="window.status='cooking pot'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">cooking pot</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">cooking pot</a> was right by the window. She poored the draught into the pot and got out of sight until she heard a loud thunk before climbing back into the tower, where she found both JOhn and the ogre asleep.

Charlotte searched the ogre's pockets until she found the key to John's shackels. The boy must have had some of the sleeping draught as well, for he did not wake as Charlotte carried him out of the tower. Nor did he wake during the whole ride the the miller's house.

The miller could not contain his joy at being reunited with his son. They hadn't seen eachother since john was a baby, but the miller knew he would love him as a father should. Charlotte stayed with John and the miller for a few days, until the miller asked her if she wanted to marry John.

"That is what I set out to do. I left my home more than two months ago to find myself a husband. But I have decided that I do not wish to marry anyone. I have enjoyed my travels, and do not want to give them up."

But certainly you'll visit?" John asked.

"Yes, of course," Charlotte said. "But you must tell me one thing, Miller."

"What is that, my lady?"

What was it that the ogre gave you in exchange for John? Was it a salad or a tin of biscuits?"

The miller laughed and shook his head. "Both," he said.

It was cute Good, too. I liked it.

wow I never thought I would red a fairy tale. I was wrong

Thanks. Any thoughts on what the ogre actually did with John? I'm writing a novel version of this and I have pretty much all the details but that.

Aww it was quirky, a nice story with a jokey ending. Although what happened with the html in the middle. I wasn't sure about the voice of the narrator, the posh oldie englishness worked in the dialogue but I think for a modern fairytale to work the narrator's voice has to be somewhat lighter and knowing. The use of 'one' and such was a bit excessive, although correct in grammer I suppose. Also I think the names could have been a bit funner, cause that's the fun thing about fairytales you can really play about with names and things and have a laugh.
I have to admit my favourite fairytales have a dark undercurrent which this had a little bit, what with the miller selling John, but perhaps not enough. Although nice, reminded me of the Rumplstillskin a bit what with the changing his mind about the deal. Anyway hope to see more in the future.