The Strawberry Story

By: Olivia Black

Long ago, in a time when magical creature still wandered the earth. A little girl named Hail was walking through some grassland near her little cottage. When she came upon a small strawberry field. They were big ripe red strawberries the best and biggest she had ever seen. Now these were no ordinary strawberries, they were magical. They could enchant all who laid eyes upon them. But those who knew of the strawberries’ powers were immune. Hail was about to eat one when the ogre that grew the strawberries came along singing in that ogres do. The sound of the ogre song made Hail drop the strawberry and run away.

After that Hail could not stop thinking about strawberries, she had such a craving for them. So the next morning she worked up all her courage and when to see the ogre. She walked down the well-worn dirt path to the ogre’s small house and knocked on the door. When the ogre appeared in the doorway, Hail took a small step back and mumbled “H-hello Mr. The-Ogre, may I have a basket full of you strawberries please?”

The ogre considered her request at length and said “ Sorry little one but my strawberries are not yet ripe. Perhaps if you come back tomorrow.” And then he closed the door. Hail walked through the grasslands hoping she may find a patch of wild strawberries but to her dismay she found none.

The next day Hail went back to the ogre’s house and knocked on his door and said “Hello Mr. The-Ogre, May I have a basket full of your strawberries?”

The ogre reflected momentarily then said, “I’m sorry little one but my strawberries are no more ready then yesterday. Maybe you should come back another day.” Then he shut the door and went back to tending his garden.

Hail decided not to go back again. But with the enchantment in full swing, every time she went outside her feet would take her to the ogre’s house. After a while she wouldn’t even leave her cottage. One sunny day she couldn’t take it anymore. She had to go outside. She put one foot out, then the other and stood still momentarily then her feet whisked her off towards the ogre’s house. In less then five minutes she was in front of the ogre’s house. The ogre looked up in surprise. She stood there gasping for a moment or two then said, “Hello Mr. The-Ogre, may I please have a basket full of you strawberries?”

The ogre looked at her closely, noting her pale skin. He considered her at length then said, “I’m sorry little one but these strawberries are not meant for little girls like you.” Hail walked away with her head bent. Halfway home the enchantment seized her and brought her back to the strawberry field. She started to pick every strawberry in sight until her basket was full. Then she ran, ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Until she could run no more then she walked and found her way to a big shady tree. She sat down and started to munch on the strawberries. Her hands quivered with anticipation as she put the first one in her mouth. It was sweet and juicy; she had never tasted anything so good in her life. Before long she had eaten the whole basketful and fallen asleep.

Suddenly she started to shake and shudder. Her stomach was making the most horrific rumbling sounds. Right before her eyes her skin started to turn green and her arms and legs started to grow and elongate. Within minutes she had turned into a full-grown troll! She ran to the nearest pond and looked at her reflection. “I’m hideous!” she screamed except it was more like a deep rumble and grunt then a scream. It was horrible, her face was a pale green color, and her nose was huge and covered with boils and warts. She ran back to the ogre’s house and yelled, “What have you done to me?”

The ogre came out and took one look at her then sighed. “I have done nothing to you. You brought this on yourself. I warned you not to eat the strawberries. They were magical; everyone knows that. But you went ahead and ate them anyways. I will not help you, you stole from me and you did not heed my warnings. You are Doomed. Doomed to spend the rest of your days wandering the earth. No one will have you now!” with that the ogre went back into his house and left Hail there to weep.