The tale of a shortcut, a witch, and braids...
Once, there were three sisters with braids the color of summer wheat who went to gather herbs far from home. Their mother told them to stay on the main path so they would be home before dark, but the sisters chose to take a shortcut.
Soon, they came to a bridge over a cascading stream that a hairless witch guarded.
The youngest sister, Karina, walked ahead of her two sisters.
“Wait here. I will call to you when it is your turn to cross the bridge,” she said.
Karina approached the witch. “Will you allow me to cross your bridge, so that I can get home before dark?” Karina asked.
The hairless witch shook her head. “No, for I am in need of hair, and your golden braid would be perfect for my head.”
“But my braid is not very long. If you allow me to cross the bridge, I will call to my sister, Emyme, that the way is safe. She has longer braids than mine that will surely fit your head better.”
The witch nodded and let Karina cross the bridge. When she was on the other side, Karina called to her sister, Emyme.
The witch stopped Emyme at the bridge and admired Emyme’s longer braids that reached all the way down her back.
“If you allow me to cross your bridge, witch, I will call to my sister, Brita, that the way is safe. Her braids are so long, they are piled up on top of her head just so she can walk without tripping on them.”
The witch nodded and let Emyme cross the bridge. When she was on the other side, Emyme called to her sister, Brita.
The hairless witch’s eyes grew big as saucers as Brita approached, for her braids were indeed piled high on her head.
Karina and Emyme watched Brita from the other side of the bridge and yelled, “Brita, let your braids down!”
And Brita did. Her braids dropped to the ground so hard, it shook, and the witch was knocked into the cascading stream, never to be heard from again.
However, it took Karina and Emyme many hours to pile Brita’s braids back up onto her head, so they could continue walking home. Their shortcut made them reach their home long after dark, and the three sisters wished they had stayed on their original path.
Special Thanks to Charity Tahmaseb, Marcia Sherman aka Emyme, and Brita Long for supporting EC.
Story and Art by Amanda Bergloff
