Copywrite–John Nixon
This is my story for Friday Fictioneers this week. It’s a weekly challenge to tell a story in 100 words with a beginning, middle, and end. It is to follow the picture prompt provided for that week. It’s hosted by the talented and gracious author and researcher, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s photo prompt is provided by John Nixon. Thanks, John.
Link: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/28-march-2014/
The Wizard’s Curse by P.S. Joshi
In ancient times there lived a powerful and cruel ruler, feared by everyone.
One day he saw a beautiful maiden in the village and fell deeply in love. He decided to ask for her hand in marriage. However, when he proposed, she refused him. Furious, he called his wizard and demanded she be cursed.
What he didn’t know was that the wizard had secretly married, and this girl was his daughter.
“Daughter,” said the wizard, “I will hide you and curse a tree to wither, saying it is you.”
This he showed to the vengeful ruler, who was mightily pleased. 
Musings on Life & Experience 
Drat! I was hoping he’d turn the ruler into a twisted, withered tree. 🙂 This was pr.obably a more politic idea, though. Good one.
janet
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Thanks, Janet, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. He probably would have turned the ruler into a withered tree if I’d thought of it. Although, a worse ruler might have stepped in to fill the vacancy. The ruler probably had nasty relatives. It sometimes runs in families. 🙂
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Ah.. this is most excellent.. First of all this read like a classic story out of a story-book. Had there been animals it could have been written by Aesop… the moral at the end completes it perfectly.
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Thanks, Bjorn, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. Those trees just said “Fantasy” to me. I thought I’d try that genre with this prompt. When you don’t use contractions, it takes more words so there wasn’t much I could elaborate about.
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A lovely fable! The ruler needs tok listen to a little Rolling Stones…and understand that you can ‘t always get what you want!
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Oops, I meant to type “to,” not “tok.” Sorry!
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Don’t worry about the typo. I make those also. 🙂 I wish there was some kind of correction program for comments like there is for replies.
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Thanks, Jan, for reading my story and commenting on it. That’s wise advice, but nasty rulers usually have egos as big as barns. Either that, or they’re power mad. Sometimes they’re just insane. Also, just because they’re evil doesn’t mean they’re intelligent. They could just hire brains. Of course, that could be risky as it proved to be in this situation.
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i love that this photo inspired fairy tales from fictioneers. this is a lovely one. loved the happy ending. 🙂
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lovely tale. i like the wizards solution 🙂
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Thanks, Scrbwly, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. He was one smart wizard, and no one was harmed. 🙂
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You got just the right voice for this fairytale. And the ruler’s solution was true to fairytale story solutions! 😀
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Thanks, Linda, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. Like more than one writer this week, those trees said “fantasy” to me. I remembered the stories I read to my children. 🙂
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PRS, this is right up your alley! The voice is so authentic, and really works with the prompt. Excellent story!
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Thanks, Dawn, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. After years of teaching primary children and reading to my own, I should be able to do that voice shouldn’t I. 🙂
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It doesn’t always follow that way… I think it’s talent, PRS. 😉
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Thanks Dawn. I appreciate that. 🙂
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I agree with Bjorn. This is an excellent tale. This emperor is so gullible you could probably sell him on invisible clothes. 🙂
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Thanks, Russell, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. Now that you mention it, I think I read somewhere that the two emperors were related. I also think that the wizard was a distant cousin of Merlin. His daughter survived and went on to write a popular book about her family’s famous heritage. That was, of course, years after the emporer had died who thought she was turned into a tree. 🙂
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A wonderful tale, the kind i have always liked.
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Thanks, Dawn, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. It was fun to write.
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Dear Patricia,
An enchanting story. I love the wizard’s resourcefulness with his sorcery. Lovely.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. That picture said “fantasy” to me as it did to others. Sorry I’m late in answering comments and didn’t get all the stories read this week. My computer has been in the shop for repair since last Fri. I just got it back today, Wed.
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No problem, Patricia. Computers are pesky necessities, aren’t they? With our numbers being up I’m often a bit late getting comments answered. Glad your computer’s up and running.
shalom,
Rochelle
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You have great talent to be able to weave such a complex and intriguing plot in just 100 words! Very clever!
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Thanks, Britt, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. I’m sorry I’m late answering comments and I didn’t get all the stories read this week. My computer has been in the shop being repaired since last Friday. I just got it back today, Wed.
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That’s completely understandable! Sometimes you just can’t avoid those technical difficulties. This is going to sound very strange, but I’m wondering how you came to find my name is Britt. I’ve taken a pseudonym, Adelie, for privacy purposes, but I’ve always struggled to never disclose my actual name. So I’m wondering where I slipped up, so I can change it! 😀 Thanks!
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What a clever wizard!
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Thanks, Riya Anne, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. Sorry I’m late answering my comments and didn’t get to read all the stories this week. My computer’s been in the shop being repaired since last Friday. I just got it back today, Wed.
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Great take and I thought the trees had a sort of fantasy forest look too!
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Thanks, B.A., for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I think a number of us thought “fantasy” with those trees. Sorry I didn’t get all the stories read this week and I’m late on answering my comments. My computer’s been in the shop being repaired since last Fri. and I just got it back today, Wed.
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Love this throwback to fairy tales of old. They were my favorites…and so is yours. Charming…absolutely charming…
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Thanks, H.M., for reading my story and commenting. I used to enjoy reading those stories myself also, and reading them to my kids. I’m glad you liked my story. It was fun to write. I’m sorry I’m late answering comments and didn’t get all the stories read this week. My computer’s been in the shop being repaired since last Fri. and I just got it back today, Wed.
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This tale has a great tone and is told in the best tradition of storytelling. I felt like I was listening rather than reading!
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Thanks, Siobhan, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. I’m sorry I’m late answering comments and didn’t get to read all the stories this week. My computer’s been in the shop for repair since last Fri. and I just got it back today, Wed.
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Really loved how you started the story-took me back to my childhood when such stories were a daily treat and always started with “once…”:-)I was glad too that the Wizard was clever enough to save his daughter-wicked King!Great job Patricia:-)
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Thanks, Atreyee, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. 🙂 I’m sorry I’m late answering comments and didn’t get all the stories read this week. My computer’s been in the shop being repaired since last Fri. and I just got it back today, Wed.
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:-)No probs,I myself am just catching up with last week’s comments-am not keeping well-so the delay.Haven’t written much this week-no idea if I will enter FF or not-if I do,hope to be able to read at least a few,your’s included Patricia,TC and have a great week 🙂
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Dear PatriciaRuthSusan, Such a wonderful fairy-tale. Right up there with the originals! Very, very good and I love that the wizard protected his daughter. The stupid King should be one of the twisted trees – maybe he could be made into a toilet seat! Thanks, Nan 🙂
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Thanks, Nan, for reading my story and commenting on it. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. Your comment is hilarious. 🙂 If he makes the wizard angry enough, something like that might happen. 🙂 Sorry I’m late answering comments and didn’t get to read all the stories this week. My computer’s been in the shop being repaired since last Fri. and I just got it back today, Wed.
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Wonderful, does read like a magical fable from the past.
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Thanks, Subroto, for reading my story and commenting. I’m glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it. 🙂 Sorry I’m late answering comments and didn’t get to read all the stories this week. My computer’s been in the shop for repair since last Fri. and I didn’t get it back until today, Wed.
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Thanks for understanding, Rochelle. I hope it stays repaired for a long time now.
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When you answer comments, your email shows up. People usually aren’t sure which is my name as both names are very different. I’m very sorry if I used the name you didn’t want used. I’ll use the one on your blog hereafter. I understand perfectly. People probably can’t be sure which is your true name, but if you don’t want your true name showing, you might want a second email address for Friday Fictioneers and/or other groups where you make comments on the internet.
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