Once upon a time, there was a young man by the name of Darbleu Aneskay. He loved to spend the entire day just bumming around, till at last his mother got tired of it and booted him out of the house.

"Get a job or don't come back!" cried Mrs Aneskay, and shut the door.

"I WILL get a job, and I'm NEVER coming back!" returned an angry Darbleu to the door.

So young Darbleu went a-looking for a job, but nobody would employ him because he was lazy and stupid. Tired and despondent, his weary feet brought him at last to the residence of Mistress Aysie Aidee (who was rumoured to be a witch).

He was just about to knock when the door swung inward and revealed a woman dressed all in black. A black pointy hat sat on her head and her left hand clasped a bristly broom. "So, the rumours were true," whispered Darbleu to himself. "What rumours?" asked Mistress Aidee (for it was she), who must have very acute hearing.

"Oh, that? Well um, I was just looking for employment," said Darbleu, "and they told me I should go see Mistress Aidee who, in addition to being as beautiful as an angel, was as generous as a saint. I thought perhaps they were exaggerating, but now I see that the former, at least, is true."

Mistress Aidee was silent for a moment. And then she said, "You are Darbleu Aneskay, said by the stars to be good for nothing but bumming around all day. I have heard that you were lazy and stupid, now I see you're also a shameless flatterer. But," and here she smiled, "I shall employ you."

Darbleu grinned upon hearing that. She beckoned him into the house. "A few rules you must know. Number one," said Mistress Aidee, "you must not leave the boundaries of my secret garden, where you shall work as a full-time gardener. Number two, you shall henceforth address me as Your Royal Darkness. Number three, YOUR SOUL IS MINE!"

"You must be joking," protested Darbleu, "howsabout I just call you Aysie?" Mistress Aidee narrowed her eyes. She said in a low, slow voice, "In addition to being stupid and lazy and shameless, you are also very disobedient."

"But!" said Darbleu, grinning, "you will consent to it. Won't you, Aysie, beautiful as an angel, generous as a saint?"

Mistress Aysie Aidee only smiled.