..Elementals

Round about, round about,
Bleed and Behold!
Reel away, keel away,
Spin your flesh into gold!

Sometimes there’s such a thing as wanting too much. This is a case where there once lived a King and Queen who reigned in a country a great way off. Now the King and Queen had everything they could desire, but lacked a child – and this too they craved.

One day by the river the answer to their fervent wishes came true. Unbeknownst to them a fae had answered with a binding contract.

“If they take this child, I shall take her back.”

This silent waif of a beauty was playing idly by the river. And in the Queen’s contrivance, she stole the girl for hers to keep.

The King and Queen were overwhelmed with joy and now they needed a celebration. “I will have the faeries dine so that they will be kind and good to our little daughter.” Now there were thirteen faeries in the kingdom; but as the king and queen had only twelve golden dishes for them to eat out of, they were forced to leave one of the fairies without asking her.

Twelve faeries came, each with a high red cap on her head and red shoes with high heels on her feet. After the feast was over they gathered round in a ring and gave all their best gifts to the little princess. One gave her goodness and another gave beauty, another gave riches and so on – till she had all the good in the world. Her parent’s were very pleased.

As soon as the last gift was given, a great noise was heard in the courtyard and word was – the thirteenth faerie had arrived. She carried with her a black cap and black shoes with high heels on her feet. Now as she had not been asked to the feast she was very angry indeed.

“My gift, upon the Princess’s birthday is that she shall fall still as a statue and never live again. You have wanted much in your quest of life and you have received much. Your daughter will be the envy of nations – as will she be but a trophy.”

Upon the beautiful girl’s 15th birthday – she became eternally beautiful. Like a statue she remained – the envy of all nations – and certainly a beautiful trophy for a likewise trophy King and Queen.

The changelings whose time in the land of the Fae caused them to embody the material aspects of nature feel the fae magic most painfully. They have been changed the most.

The journey home was hardest for the Elementals because they had been transformed too far. They had less reason to escape. Their humanity had been damaged and twisted by what they endured. Often – for nothing they did. They were suitable for some contrived effort or scheme a faerie was concocting.

These Changelings are the hardest to understand. Others reveal beauties, horrors, tricksters and even animals – in each something is revealed about ourselves. But this set of changelings were influenced and carved with the desire of objects and forces. They serve as examples of becoming what they are addicted to, becoming what they strive for. Theirs is a lesson in Desire and Avarice.