Troutie, a multi-lingual trout, lives in the well at the edge of the glen. Exactly how many languages and which ones he knows, is currently unknown. However, one thing is known. Troutie speaks fluent trout and at least one or two human dialects.

Bordering on the lower west side of Troutie’s glen is Silver-Tree, her husband the king, and their daughter Gold-Tree’s kingdom.  The family palace of residence is located on the upper north east side near the ocean. Over the course of a few decades, Silver-Tree has cultivated a strong relationship with Troutie.

Standing beside Troutie’s well, Silver-Tree cries;

“Troutie. Oh Troutie, my bonny little Troutie, am I not the most beautiful queen in all the world?”

Glowing, Silver-Tree breathless awaits her favorite response;

“Of course it’s you! You are the most  beautifully gorgeous and spectacularly stunning of all reigning Queens!”

Upon hearing it, Silver-Tree blushes. Silver-Tree gushes. Silver-Tree confidently steps forward into yet another year’s worth of beauty reigning, kingdom success.

The following year, leading the way, Silver-Tree arrives at the well on their pre-designated, pre-appointed date and time, with Gold-Tree following close behind.

Standing alongside Troutie’s well, Silver-Tree peers inside. Looking down, she cries;

“Troutie. Oh Troutie, my bonny little Troutie, am I not the most beautiful queen in all the world?”

Glowing, Silver-Tree breathless awaits her favored response.

“This year it’s definitely not you but you’re welcome to come back next year and try again,” exclaims Troutie.

“What!” cries Silver-Tree angrily. “This has never happened before. Who is it?”

“Your daughter, Gold-Tree,” Troutie replies.

Going home in a near state of semi-explosive, rage-induced lava, Silver-Tree returns home. Vowing her revenge, she collaps. Bedridden, teetering on the edge between worlds, hubby asks what is wrong. She isn’t real clear on a diagnosis, just on the medicinal cure: the heart and liver of her only child Gold-Tree.

Really, what’s a poor old dad to do? I mean his wife is lying there dying right before his very eyes, smitten with an almost incurable disease. Fortunately for him, a King in a faraway land has just asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Dispensing with the traditional formalities, grand announcements and wedding hoopla, he agrees. Wishing Gold-Tree well, he says his good-byes. He then puts Gold-Tree and her husband to be on a ship back to her husband’s homeland.

Problem solved. Well almost. Putting great faith in the placebo effect, he sends a mere lad out to slay a he-goat, trusting that most internal organs between the male and female species are the same, as in identical. Thankfully for him mom took the placebo, ate the organs and miraculously came into a full recovery.

You would think that everyone could now live in peace. Ha! This could have been the peaceful end to a near tragic tale, but no. A year later, on a certain day of days, Silver Tree makes her annual visit to the fairy glen to meet with her bonnie little friend, Mr. Talkative or Troutie, the trout who lives in the well which stands in the fairy glen.

Not only did that sniveling little well-dwelling trout have to once again, proclaim Gold-Tree as the most beautiful queen of all; but he also felt the need to rat out Golden Tree’s whereabouts and spill the beans on the whole he-goat organ conspiracy.

Returning home, Silver-Tree runs to hubby and talks him into getting her a ship so she can see her long-lost daughter – the one she misses terribly. Hubby agrees and off she goes. Gold-Tree recognizes her father’s ships and alerts the servants that her mother is really an unpaid professional hit-woman in disguise. Her target, none other than her only daughter Gold-Tree. The servants hide Golden-Tree in a locked room. Down on shore Mom pitches a motherly fit complete with piercing wails as she expressively expresses her undying love for her only child. The servants buy into the heart-wrenching drama of her story. They personally escort Silver-Tree to her daughter’s locked quarters. Talking through the locked door mom requests a touch between fingers before she returns home. Gold-Tree sticks out her finger. Mom spears it with a poisonous stab. Hearing the thump on the floor, Silver-Tree joyously returns to the ship leaving her daughter for dead.

Silver Tree euphorically arrives home safe and secure in the knowledge that her only daughter and sole competitor in the life and times of a true beauty queen is now dead, yet again. As for her husband, Gold Tree’s father, who knows? All anyone knows is that wife is happy, making life on the home front tolerable at worst or best; no one really knows.

Part ll continued on next post.

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin!