PRINCESS ALORA

Once upon a time was a very pretty princess called Alora, she lived with her mother Queen Maria, who was very lovely and loved her daughter very much she gave her anything she wished for, within reason of course. One of the games the princess would play was to pretend she was a lovely butterfly and move around the flowers in the garden. 

One day while playing her game, she had moved to the edge of the garden, where a tall wall was, as she got near the wall the princess could here someone talking, and a noise like a donkey braying. So stopping and listening she stayed and soon the voice started again saying. "What a silly donkey you are," and then "Hee Haw." coming from the donkey, the voice went on "I tell you all my secrets and all you can say is 'Hee haw,' what good is that, that won't  help me, you know!"

Now the princess could tell that the voice was one of a young man and this interested her, so she called "Hello?" at first there was quiet and then she heard the young man say to the donkey. "Well you do speak!"  as he thought the donkey had spoken to him.  Alora was quite surprised that the man thought it was the donkey and she heard him say to the donkey. "So what shall I do?" the princess now thought this was quite a game and fell into it by saying.  "Go home, have a sleep and when you wake up you will know what to do," she carried on, " come back to this spot tomorrow," the young man believed it was the donkey and off he went with his animal.

"Well!" , thought the Princess, "that is a strange young man, I hope he sorts out his troubles,"   but the next day the man with his donkey was back and so was Alora. As she came near the wall she heard the young man saying to the donkey."A lot of good that did."     "Hee Haw,"   said the donkey, "Now I suppose you are going to tell me to do something else,"  said the young man sounding annoyed. Alora decided to speak again. "Its no good getting cross, " she said, "I will try to help you only once more,  I advise you to go and find the wizard and tell him your problems, he lives in a cottage at the side of the castle, near the gate.  His name is Wizard Truegood, he will be able to help you,"   she continued  " he deals with 'Misty Dreams' to help with  problems and also spells to make a person better."   then she stopped and listened again. He  spoke quietly, sounding thoughtful. "Yes, I'll do that," and then he went away.

Now the young man, called Tristin knew that the donkey wasn't speaking as the voice was too pretty and musical for his friend the donkey. He was now puzzled and wanted to know who the owner of the lovely voice was, but before this happened he took the donkey called Bernie and put him in a field a little from where Tristin was going to see the Wizard. 

Tristian soon found the cottage and knocked on the door.  Wizard Truegood was busy making a magic portion for one of the ladies in the town, a Miss Lindy Lavender, who was very keen on a young man in the town called Timmy Trouble. Miss Lindy wanted a magic drink which would make Timmy fall in love with her, so the wizard was very busy mumbling magic words over the big iron pot on the fire.  

The young man called and didn't get an answer, so he pushed the door open and what a surprise he got when he looked into the room,  he thought being an old man and a wizard, the place would be very dark and gloomy but it was quite the opposite. 

There was a light in the room that brightened every thing there, the walls were covered with different objects, for instance, one side had all sorts of hats for a wizard, they all had long peaks, but each had a different picture on the outside, there were  stars on one, moons on another, even flowers on one, and sparkles on a blue one.
They seemed to the young man very nice, near another wall were long coats which the wizard wore, with the same pictures on the coats to match the hats, also a wall with different wands, which are long sticks with a star on the end, or a beautiful coloured stone. 

Tristin was so taken up with all of this that he forgot to call again and by now, Wizard Truegood had seen him, 
"Well, young man," he said "and what do you want." Tristin looked at the wizard, he looked a very nice man, he had a long white beard, blue sparkling eyes, a merry smile, his coat was of deep purple, with small pearls all over it. "Come on. Speak up," he said to Tristian. "I...I’m sorry to bother you sir, " said our friend quite timidly, "but I need your advice," The wizard said, "You'll have to give me a minute, and then we'll sit and talk," 
 "Thank you,"  said our friend nodding his head. Tristin found a seat and sat down, he carried on looking around the room. On a perch, near where the old man was working, sat a lovely Cockatoo with bright yellow feathers. 

The bird was watching the wizard and now and again moved his head up and down saying:  "He's at it again, he's at it again."   Tristin thought it is one of the most loveliest birds he had seen, next to the fire lay a large dog, not taking a bit of notice of the young man and also watching. The wizard called to Tristin. "Louie won't bother you," 
"Who's Louie,"   called the young man to the wizard. "He's my dog. and Goldie is the Cockatoo's name." 
 "Oh! "   said Tristin.

By now the old man had finished his work and went over to a chair, which the dog was lying next to. "Now what can I do for you,"  said the Wizard looking very interested.  "I'm not sure where to start," said our friend.  "Start at the beginning,"  said Trugood, and this was the story, our friend told the Wizard.

"I'm Tristin, " said the young man, "and I come from a land far away from here.  I live with my mother and father and  Bernard my young brother.We live in a large palace with a lovely garden.  My brother and I used to play and help our father in the garden.

One day Bernard and I decided to go to the forest and we lost our way.   At first we were frightened, but after walking around for a while, we thought that if  I went one way and my brother another, we should find our way out, well I did managed to find a way out.I waited at a gate that we had decided we would  meet, but he was such a long time and when he did  arrive, he had turned into a donkey,!" 
"A donkey, " said Wizard Trugood, "Yes, it seemed that some evil witch must have changed him and all he can seem to say is 'Hee haw'. Well I didn't like going home to tell my parents.  They would be so upset.  I decided to  search for a kind wizard to change him back." 

The Wizard asked Tristin where he had heard of him, our friend told him about the high wall and what had happened, "Oh that would be Princess Alora, playing a little game with you," said the Wizard, "but let me get my crystal ball to see if I can help you.   He went over to a table and removed a silk cloth off an object, it was a crystal ball and taking the piece of silk the Wizard rubbed the ball murmuring over it. He then gazed into the lovely round ball, murmuring "Ah, yes, and Mm," he looked at Tristin. "I see a palace and a happy crowd gathered, I see a King with a golden beard and a Queen, with long dark hair a very handsome pair," said the Wizard. "That sounds like my mother and father, I wander why they are happy?" said our friend.  "Well there is also a young man with them the Queen seems to be smiling and putting her arms around him, he looks about sixteen years old, very blond hair and a small dog near him." "That sounds like my brother Bernard, so who is the donkey in the field near here?," said Tristin. "I expect it is a donkey, no more and no less," continued the wizard, 
"Oh dear, I feel rather silly now,  I must see if someone wants a donkey and let my parents know I'm alright."
 
Wizard Truegood suggested that he could give the donkey a good home. " I would be grateful if you could." said Tristin. “But  I really would like to meet the Princess, is it possible for you to help me with that." The Wizard looked at the young man and said " I rather think you were doing very well on your own, why not go back and tell her what has happened," 
"That's a good idea." said Tristin and after taking the Wizard to Bernie and introducing them, he went to where he was staying. The next day Tristin went to the wall and pretended to talk to the donkey again.  Now against the wall was a wild cherry tree and as soon as the girl came to the wall and started to speak. Tristin decided he would climb the tree to see this Princess Alora, who the wizard had spoken of. Mean while Alora was waiting on the other side of the wall hoping to hear the young man again, as she wished to know what had happened about his problems. She heard Tristin pretending to say to the donkey. "Well that's sorted out now, your not Bernard, just another donkey,"  now he stopped talking and quietly climbed the tree. 

Looking over the wall, he saw the prettiest young lady he had ever seen, he nearly fell out of the tree looking at her  and made the leaves rustle which made Alora look up suddenly."Oh!," she gasped. "You must be careful, or you'll fall." Tristin, just gazed at her then realised he was being very rude by staring at the Princess, he then smiled and called. "My names Tristin, and you are the Princess Alora."  The Princess nodded asked: "Are you the one who has been talking to his donkey,"   "Yes, you must think I've been quite a fool, but if you open the door at the side of the wall, I will tell you why," he said, So the young man came down from the tree and the Princess opened the door, and Tristin told Alora what had happened at the Wizards house and that he was now on his way home to see his lost brother, his mother and father. 

Alora liked Tristin very much and he thought the princess delightful, and as he started on his way the princess invited him to  meet her parents, when he came back, this he agreed to do and saying goodbye he went on his way.

When he arrived home his parents and his brother was so pleased to see him, they held a large party and every one was very happy .

   ~Anne Pettersen 1994~