Rosella didn’t love the prince madly, but she liked him. He was so polite. And she thought it might be pleasanter to be a princess than to be the widow Pickering’s daughter and Myrtle’s sister. Besides, it could be against the law to say no to the prince. So she said yes, and dropped a garnet into his hand.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t hear you.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Clink. Clink. Two more garnets joined Harold’s collection. “You must say, ‘Yes, Harold,’ now that we’re betrothed.
“Yes, Harold.”
Clink.
The fairy Ethelinda was delighted that Rosella was going to be a princess. She deserves it, the fairy thought. Ethelinda was pleased with herself for giving Rosella the perfect reward.
The widow Pickering agreed to the marriage. But she insisted that Harold give her all the gems that Rosella had produced before their engagement. The widow was careful not to mention Myrtle. She didn’t want the prince to know that Rosella had a twin sister who would also have a jewel mine in her mouth. After all, what if he took Myrtle away too?
Prince Harold swung Rosella up on his horse. He asked her to hold an open saddlebag on her lap. Then he mounted I front of her. As they rode of, he asked her about her garden, about the weather, about fly fishing, about anything.
The widow stood at the fence and waved her handkerchief. As she turned to go back into the cottage, she saw her favorite daughter in the distance. Myrtle was loping along, swinging the bucket. The widow opened the gate and followed her daughter into the house. “Darling, speak to me.”
Myrtle sank into their only comfortable chair. “Hi, Mom. The stupid old lady wasn’t-“ there was a tickle in the back of her throat. What was going on? It felt like her tongue had gotten loose and was flopping around in her mouth. Could she be making jewels too? Did it happen just by going to the well? Whatever it was- diamond or pearl or emerald- it wanted to get out. Myrtle opened her mouth.
A garter snake slithered out.
The widow screamed and jumped onto their other chair. “Eeeeek! Get that thing out of here! Myrtle!” She pointed a shaking finger. “There it is! Get it! Eeeeek!”
Myrtle didn’t budge. She she stared at the snake coiling itself around a bedpost. How had this happen if the old lady wasn’t at the well? The knight? The knight! The old lady had turned herself into a knight.
Myrtle jumped up and raced out, taking the bucket with her. “Bye, Mom,” she called over her shoulder. “See you later.” Two mosquitoes and a dragonfly flew out of her mouth.
The fairy Ethelinda watched Myrtle scurry down the road. She patted herself on the back for having given Myrtle the perfect punishment.
little leprichan gone bad Community Member 
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