Once Sisters

There once were two fairy sisters: Aesha and Jaina. They spent their days using their powers to help those in need, and at night they explored the magical forest, their home. They were not only sisters, but the best of friends.

One night, the sisters were playing hide and seek. It was Aesha's turn to hide, and so she ran until she came to the river. There was a man fishing there.

"You can't fish here! This is a sacred forest."

"Pardon me," he said standing up. "I got lost here this morning and I was getting so hungry."

"I'm sorry your travels have been difficult. Come with me and my sister and we will take care of you." After they found Jaina, the sisters prepared a meal for the traveler. Jaina got tired and decided to go rest. But Aesha was absolutely fascinated by this man's life and wanted to hear more. He had such adventures, yet he was mortal. So much bravery and spirit! She wondered if there could possibly be anyone else like him in the world!

"Well, I should rest," he said standing up.

"Where will you go?"

"I haven't explored the sea as much as I'd like. Perhaps next I will join a pirate crew, search for treasure, and see the world."

"Please take me with you."

"Why would a fairy want to leave your sister and this charming life in a magical forest?"

"I know now what my life is missing. Adventure. Love. The uncertainty of tomorrow! I want to become mortal. I want to see the world. I want to be with you."

The man seemed unsure, but he soon agreed and Aesha left to tell her sister.

Jaina didn't like Aesha's plan, especially the part about her becoming mortal. She didn't want to lose her sister. But Aesha insisted this was the only way she could be happy again.

"Jaina, I want you to take the solemn fairy oath that you will never try to stop any of my plans. I want to live my life, but if you are constantly interfering, I can't be happy!"

And so the sister took the solemn fairy oath. She could never interfere in Aesha's life, no matter how hard she tried. The last thing she did for her sister as a farewell gift was marry the two lovers. Aesha was beaming with joy during the ceremony. The man seemed apprehensive, but Jaina told herself that must just be his way.

Years passed. Jaina continued helping those in need during the day and exploring the magic forest at night. But now she did it all alone and with less joy in her heart.

Rumors were circulating about how large groups of sailors were disappearing. One of the families of the missing sailors had heard of Jaina's willingness to help those in need and begged her to investigate. Jaina left to find the missing sailors. She found an island largely uninhabited, save a looming castle at the center. She could sense a familiar presence she hadn't felt in years.

"Aesha!" she shouted. Though the creature was sitting in a chair facing away from her, Jaina knew it was her sister. "Where have you been?"

"Don't come any closer, Jaina."

"Aesha, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? My own sister allowed me to go off with a strange man. When she heard nothing from me, she didn't seek me out. She didn't try to help. She left me at his mercy."

"Aesha, I don't understand. What's happened? Where's your husband?"

"He told me he had found a potion to turn me mortal. I took it, because I trusted my husband. After all, aren't husbands supposed to love their wives and do anything to protect them? Instead of becoming human, I became this." Aesha stood. She was no longer the tall, beautiful, elegant fairy she had always been. Now she was a short, balding she-goblin with pointed teeth and boils all over her face. "He then left me there. Deserted me! He had tried to kill me, but he had underestimated my strength!"

"Aesha, come back to the forest with me. We can find an antidote. We can be as we once were!"

"Go back to that sheltered, ignorant life? Helping men? I know how they are now, Jaina. I know what they are capable of. Instead of helping men, I now give them what they deserve. No, I give them far more than they deserve! I give them a caring wife. I allow them to live days longer than they deserve. Then I end their wretched lives as I chew away their flesh."

Jaina stood in disbelief. Could this vengeful creature be her beloved sister? "I will stop you! I will protect all men from falling into your clutches."

"Have you forgotten, dear sister? You took a fairy oath. And a fairy oath is unbreakable."

Jaina lunged at the creature, but an invisible force held her back. The she-goblin cackled and began walking to her dungeon to feast on human flesh. "Goodbye, dear sister. Until we meet again."

Author's Note: The original story tells only of she-goblins who live on an island and after luring men in and marrying them, eat their flesh. A fairy comes in at the end to take away the men who have discovered the truth, but she doesn't step in before that, or stop the she-goblins. It bothered me that someone with that much power doesn't stop the atrocities, so I decided to tell a story which would explain why the she-goblins eat men's flesh and why the fairy doesn't stop what's going on. I also wanted to explain why the she-goblins marry the men first instead of just eating them. In my version, it is Aesha's form of special revenge on her husband and her new victims.

When Aesha is changed by the potion, she loses her humanity figuratively and literally. Not only is she no longer human, but she cannot be moved by her own sister to stop the horrible life she has chosen for herself. I wanted to highlight the hopelessness of the situation for Jaina. The reader is left to wonder what Jaina could possibly do which is technically continued in the original story. She tries to help men as much as the fairy oath will allow her to do so. I would have liked to continue the sisters' story but that will have to be a project for outside of class.

Goblin City: The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India by W. H. D. Rouse.