Little Red House

This story is by Nancy Pezdek and was part of our 2022 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

Little Red House

 

Once upon a time in a wood far away lived three daughters with their parents. None were what you might call pretty but each was beautiful in her own way. One had a lyrical voice, one had long, gloriously thick golden hair, and one had piercing blue eyes. They all lived in a little red house in a small clearing surrounded by giant trees and towering mountains. Secluded as they were from the world beyond, it suited them, for they were simple people with simple needs. One cow provided all their milk and butter, chickens produced eggs, and a garden yielded vegetables. The woods offered up logs for their fire, small animals to trap, and a stream to bathe in or catch fish. But not all was right with their world for the daughters were growing older, and they were lonely for a family of their own.

One day a hunter chanced upon their quiet existence. The daughter with a voice as clear and sweet as a tinkling bell was standing outside over a huge pot, stirring the stew that would be for dinner. She sang a tune as poetic as the trill of a nightingale. The hunter, captivated by her song, came from the woods carrying six partridges he had killed.

He stood before her, bowed low while doffing his cap, and asked, “May I inquire the name of the songbird I am addressing?”

“Lark,” she replied and smiled at the man she hoped to marry.

She placed her hand in his which he had offered, and they walked together through the door of the little red house where the family was sitting at a table.

“Who is this?” her father asked.

“A hunter,” his daughter said.

“Come sit with us, Hunter, and share our repast.”

He did so and gave the father the partridges as a thank-you. After a week, he asked the father for the daughter’s hand in marriage.

“You may marry my daughter, but you must provide food for our table.”

“Agreed,” said the hunter.

They were married, and soon a room was built for them off the cabin, and there, they remained.

As one daughter was happy, two were still lonely for a family of their own. After a while, a tinker chanced upon the secluded abode. In his wagon, he carried many items worthy of buying. He knocked on the wooden door of the little red house and was greeted by the daughter with golden hair. The tinker’s eyes gazed upon the shimmering locks which cascaded over her shoulders, and he reached out a finger to touch a curl. The plain girl with very thin lips blushed but did not back away from the electricity that emanated from his fingertip.

“I have never seen anything as priceless as the golden hair upon your head,” he remarked. “What is your name?”

“Ingot,” she replied and smiled at the man she hoped to marry.

“Who is at the door?” her father asked.

“A tinker,” she replied.

“Come sit with us, Tinker, and warm yourself by our fire.”

The daughter placed her hand in the tinker’s which he had offered, and they walked together through the door of the little red house where the family was sitting by the fireplace. The tinker told them of his travels and tales of the world beyond. After a week, he asked the father for the daughter’s hand in marriage.

“You may marry my daughter, but you must tell us many tales of the world beyond and provide us with wares from your travels abroad.”

“Agreed,” said the tinker.

They were married, and soon a room was built for them off the cabin, and there, they remained.

Alas, the eldest daughter despaired of ever meeting anyone who would fill her life. But one day a stranger with dark eyes stumbled upon the clearing and noticed her tending the garden.

“What are you growing?” he asked.

“Vegetables for the family,” she responded, looking into the darkest eyes she had ever seen.

“What is your name?” he inquired.

“Blossom,” she replied and smiled, showing the gap between her front teeth. She looked at the man she hoped to marry, and he smiled back, unlocking the dimples that appeared on his pock-marked cheeks.

Mesmerized by her piercing blue eyes, he knelt before her, and exclaimed, “I have never seen such beauty.”

“Nor have I,” she said.

“Who is out there?” her father asked from around the corner of the house.

“A stranger,” his daughter replied.

“Come help me, Stranger, chop wood,” he beckoned.

The daughter placed her hand in the stranger’s which he had offered, and they walked together around the little red house to the woodpile where her father stood. The stranger grabbed an ax and began chopping firewood until dinnertime. After a week, he asked the father for the daughter’s hand in marriage.

“You may marry my daughter, but you must keep us provided with firewood.”

“Agreed,” said the stranger.” They were married, and soon a room was built for them off the cabin, and there, they remained.

Years passed and all three daughters were happy with their growing families. They had everything of which they had ever dreamed. But the parents of the daughters looked at one another one morning and realized they were weary and getting older. They made a plan and asked their sons-in-law to prove themselves one more time.

“Beyond those trees you three men will clear the land to build a little blue house. Once built, it will need furnishings inside and a vegetable garden out back in the yard. You men have one month to do this.

“Why?” they asked.

“Time will tell,” the father replied.

Working day and night, the men showed their commitment, discipline, and resourcefulness. The land was cleared of trees that were used to build the house. The tinker traveled far and wide to find things to furnish the home. Seeds from the original vegetable garden were gathered and planted in the newly dug patch of ground. It was grueling work, but the men were up for the task, willing and able to please their in-laws. For had they not found everything they ever wanted when they came upon their three lonely daughters in this secluded wood.

Finally, all was accomplished within the allotted time.

“You have done well, my sons,” the father said.

“Can you tell us now why we have plowed a garden, built a house, and furnished it?”

“Yes. But first, we will feast. Bring the long table out into the space that is between the two houses. Set it with dishes you have found for us, Tinker. Build a fire with the wood you have chopped, Stranger, and set a pot over it with the food you have caught for us, Hunter. We will celebrate how well you all work together to take care of this family.”

All was arranged and a hearty stew was ladled into wooden bowls. Freshly baked bread was sliced, buttered, and placed in the center of the table. Stories were retold by the tinker, of the world beyond, and grandchildren danced in the moonlight to songs that were sung by the blue-eyed daughter.

When the celebration was over, the parents told their daughters to gather their sleepy children and carry them to their warm beds in the little red house.

“Come, Mother and Father,” they implored.

“We will not be coming tonight.,” the father smiled.

The daughters looked puzzled as they watched their parents wave goodnight and turn towards the little blue house.

“Aha!” the daughters and their husbands thought.

The grandparents walked hand in hand into the little blue house and shuffled wearily over to the rocking chairs in front of embers glowing in their fireplace. They felt relieved. Their work was done. They had everything they ever wanted, secure in the knowledge that their daughters and grandchildren were loved and would be taken care of by the men who loved them.

“Finally, some peace and quiet!” the mother said. The father smiled, reached for her hand and they enjoyed the silence in their togetherness.

And they all lived happily ever after once upon a time, separately, but not far apart.