A Thursday Tale~ Run for the Gold!

"Don't ask questions of fairy tales. " ~ Jewish folk saying

"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed. "~ G.K. Chesterton

"Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale of all." ~ Hans Christian Andersen

Run for the Gold

Once Upon a Time In a world we can not yet imagine......

Hipthrow leaned against his cart and watched as the crowds gathered in the city square. This many people lining the streets could only mean one thing. Some poor soul would die today. Some fool would try and find favor with the princess. Another man young or old would think he could out run the beautiful Adali. The Islands King had ordered his only Daughter to marry. She in turn had refused to marry any man who could not out run her, And had further demanded that any who tried and could not should die.


Having survived the Forth War, of the Seventeenth World, know to mankind, Hipthrow had come to this Island Kingdom hoping only to find peace and quiet. He had a small plot of land that he used to grow fruits and vegetables to sell here in the city square. He had been a soldier for many years. Now he only wanted to enjoy his time left to live. He had no wife, No family, and very few friends. In this, the Seventeenth world, friends were hard to find.. Harder yet to keep.

"Hey You" Hipthrow yelled at an old beggar woman who he spotted just as she tucked a handful of apples from his cart into her tattered apron.. The Old lady ran, quickly dissolving into just another face in the crowd. "Oh well ," He thought to himself.. "I'll just have to eat my own wares tonight and she will have a full stomach as well."

Pushing his cart carefully through the crowd, selling an apple or Pear , here and there, Hipthrow got as close as he could to where the beautiful Princess and the young suitor prepared
to begin their race. If the young man could outrun her he would have her hand in Marriage but if he lost he would join the others who had tried, by loosing his head. The young man suddenly dashed off, leaving the princess standing there talking with her Father, the King. All too soon the Maiden took off behind him and in a flash had passed him there by winning the race and sealing his fate. Hipthrow watched in silence as the fine young warrior was lead away by the armed guards.


" And that" Said the King, " was the very last race for this week. Unless," he added with a grim smile, " there is one among you who would like to try for my Daughter's hand. If there be one here who wishes to try he should step forward now."
Suddenly an unseen hand pushed Hipthrow from behind and he staggered out into the street, stumbling before the king.
"Very well" the King replied, Tomorrow morning we will meet here to see if you might win the race and become the husband of my beautiful daughter Adali.


Hipthrow wanted to shout that he would not race. He wanted to scream that someone had pushed him. But looking into the surprised eyes of Adali he was suddenly speechless. He stood frozen as she and her Father walked away and into the palace. Finally turning away he was surprised to see the beggar Lady -thief standing by his cart munching on a Bright red apple.
" You stole that" he fussed at her. He laughed as he thought that after tomorrow she might very well claim his plot and his cart. " Take all you want," he told her, "after tomorrow it won't matter anyway."
" Oh would you Just Hush" The Old Lady muttered holding out a bag of brilliant purple velvet. "In this bag are all the things you need to win the race. " and bending close to his ear she began to whisper to him the secrets of the bag.

Hipthrow arrived the next morning scared but full of energy for the race. He saluted the beautiful princess as she stood on the balcony with her father. He was surprised to see her blush and look away.

Adali had watched the man as he had entered the town square . He had come from outside the gates, out there where she knew people grew things to eat. She was almost sorry that he would have to die. She had almost liked it when he had saluted her. as if she were just a regular girl and not a prize to be won. But she knew she could easily outrun him just as she had all the others. She was ready for him.

The trumpets sounded with a blare and the race was on. Adali let Hipthrow run way ahead of her before she even began to run, just as she had all the others.
" Run! Run!" shouted the crowds.
"Run for the gold !" Shouted the beggar woman.
Then running like the wind Adali took off, moving so fast that she seemed to be flying. Hipthrow glancing back over his shoulder saw that she was gaining on him and following the advice of the beggar lady reached into the bag tied to his belt and tossed a golden apple on the ground, watching as it rolled into her path. She was so attracted to the apples golden beauty that she stopped to pick it up. On he had flown in the race getting ahead of her again as she admired her apple. But finally she realized that he was ahead of her and she tucked her prize into her pocket and took off after him.Soon she was right behind him again. He could hear her steps as she almost caught him. He reached a second time into his velvet sack and tossed the second golden apple into the path just in front of her feet. She stopped to pick up this apple too. Amazed at the beauty of it she stood and admired it for a few moments before Taking off again, running as fast as she could.

With the finish line just ahead Hipthrow was running for his life. He was running with all his might. His breath nothing more than a pant as he realized that as fast as a new wind the princess was coming again. She was running along now just barely behind him. Just as it seemed she might pass him he reached into the velvet bag for the last time and tossed the third apple onto the ground. As the Beautiful princess bent over to pick it up he hurried across the finish line just a few steps ahead of her.

The crowds went wild. They couldn't believe what they had just seen. They shouted and stomped their feet. They screamed their praise as Adali took his hand in hers accepting that he would be her husband. Very soon there would be a grand wedding at the palace.Everyone celebrated that the princess was finally married. Everyone celebrated that there would be no more races . Hipthrow had outsmarted the princess and had won her hand. Together they would one day rule the Seventeenth World. And they would Live Happily ever after!




Today being a Thursday I decided to tell a Fairy tale. It is actually the re-telling of the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes and how the God of Love~ Venus~ helped him to out smart her and beat her at her own game. I hope you have enjoyed today's Tale. When I was a little girl I loved all the fairy tales. I looked forward to growing up and being swept away by my own prince charming. Sadly life is not usually a fairy tale and mine certainly has not been. But my life has been good. Even the bad parts had their own place and have served to make the overall story a great one.. Now if someone would just toss ME a golden Apple!!! Have a great Day!
Patsy