Tell me a story.

You're too old for stories, you're a woman now.

Then tell me a story for women.

Alright. I'll tell you the story I was saving for when you got married, but you have reached womanhood, so I suppose you can learn. It's a lesson, about love, and desire.

Men have always been fickle. A pretty face or a shapely thigh, and they can be yours. However, a pleasant face doesn't always mean a pleasant heart, or mind. One of these pleasant faces belonged to a woman named Morrinne. Only, hers was more than pleasant. She won the hearts of men from miles around, and many a girl-child has seen her and wished to grow into such beauty.

Morrinne found such attention interesting, but never once accepted a suitor. Men would throw themselves from cliffs to try and win her heart. If they had ever lived, they would have been awarded a stone, for Morrinne was cruel, with no love in her soul. Sometimes after a suitor's death, she would go down to the body, smile condescendingly, and then shriek with laughter.

Such cruelty develops into certain other things, and before long, the word "witch" was being whispered whenever another man lost his life to try to win her. Sometimes rumours contain truth, for Morrinne had indeed turned to the darkness to preserve her beauty, to live longer, and stay young, so that she may drive more men to death. She had contrived, with her magics, an exquisite jewelled corset. As long as she wore it, she would appear young and beautiful, no matter what her true age was. The corset was imbued with certain poisons, and miniscule traps, so that should any man try to remove the corset, he would be poisoned and be dead before he hit the ground.

The years went by. Morrinne continued attracting men to their doom, and wore her corset almost every day. It wasn't long before she was wearing it all the time, never taking it off, even to bathe.

One young man that had been bewitched by Morrinne's beauty, was Jakob. He was handsome, and smart, and strong; the girls in his village competed amongst themselves for his attention. They would pout and wink and giggle, trying to catch his eye. All, except one: Elise. She was plain, plump, and sad, but strong-willed and smart. While she did find him lovely, and dreamed of marrying him, she did not compete for Jakob's attention, because she knew the way of marriages, and young love, and knew she would be laughed at if she batted her eyelashes or tried to pout. She would sit with the other girls, however, and watch. One day, Jakob did not smile or tip his hat in reply to the girls displays, he merely looked at them and rushed away. Elise watched him walk away intently, then set off after him.

Jakob went to an Inn to buy supplies, for he was travelling to Morrinne's home and the journey was long and hard. She lived in a castle overlooking some cliffs, where the broken bones of many failed suitors bleach in the sun. The Innkeeper asked Jakob what he was doing, and just as Elise had entered the inn, he was telling the keeper of his great love. Elise had come 3 steps into the room when she heard a wave of whispers travel around the tables. "Morrinne! Oh my..." "Another one lost..."

Elise sat and thought while Jakob talked and loaded his packs. As soon as he left, she rushed to the innkeeper, and bought her own supplies, and some packs, and set off after Jakob. She could win his heart by destroying the witch, she thought.

When Jakob was 300 leagues from Morrinne's castle, he met a dryad. She tried to seduce him with her tree-beauty, but Morrinne's enchantment was stronger, and Jakob swore at her, pushed her away, and ran off. No man had ever been able to resist her arboreal charms, and the dryad was shattered. She sat on the ground, and wept. That is how Elise found her, as she followed Jakob. "Oh, dryad, why are you crying?" she asked, and the Dryad told her. Elise recognised the man in the dryad's tale as Jakob, and explained to her "that was Jakob, he has been bewitched by Morrinne." The dryad smiled, and Elise kissed her brown cheek, "You have lost nothing, you are still wondrous." The dryad was comforted by Elise's words, and told her a secret in return.

"Morrinne's looks are kept only by the jewelled corset she wears. If you take it from her, she will appear as she truly is, and the enchantment on your love will be broken." Elise then asked "How will I take it from her?" but the dryad did not know, and retreated into her forest. So Elise hurried off after Jakob.

30 leagues from Morrinne's castle, Jakob met a dwarf. The dwarf was struggling with a sack of gold and rubies that he had mined, and offered Jakob some as payment for helping him. Jakob had no interest in wealth, and refused to help, and rushed off. The dwarf was quite angry indeed, and by the time Elise had caught up to him, he was yelling and breaking branches off trees. Elise asked the dwarf what had uspet him so much, so the dwarf proceeded to tell all that had happened. Realising that it was her enchanted love again, she told the dwarf "That was Jakob, and he has been bewitched. And as for your gold and rubies, here," Elise gave the dwarf one of her empty packs so that he might carry his gold and gems easier. The dwarf was so pleased, he gave Elise a ruby, which she placed in her bodice for safe-keeping, and told her a secret in return.

"Morrinne's jewelled corset is poisoned. Any man who tries to remove it will die before his body hits the ground." Though Elise found this news disturbing, she asked the dwarf "How can I avoid the poison?" but the dwarf did not know, and walked off.

3 leagues from Morrinne's castle, Jakob met a blind old beggar. He asked for some food, or a few coins, since he was so down on his luck. Jakob had nothing to give him, as he was at the end of his journey, and said so, but the beggar did not believe him, and struck out with his walking stick and called him selfish. The beggar was still ranting and raving when Elise came to him, where she asked "What is the matter?" The beggar told her the full story of what happened. Elise recognised the man in his tale as Jakob, and said to the beggar "He was telling the truth, old man, for he is headed for Morrinne's castle, and he has no more provisions." She herself only had half a loaf of bread and a small piece of cheese, yet she sat and shared them with the beggar. As thanks, the beggar told her a secret in return.

"The poisoned corset works only on men. While you will see her as beautiful and young, you will not be poisoned by the laces, young lady." And before Elise could ask him any questions, he stood up and hobbled off down the road in the direction she had come from.

As Jakob approached the castle, another desperate suitor leapt from the cliff edge nearby. Morrinne watched from a balcony, and smiled a wicked grin. As she turned her back to the dead man, she heard a voice from her castle gates. Jakob was yelling "Morrinne my sweet, I have come to woo you, you have enchanted me so, I will do anything to win you!!" Morrinne smiled again at the words of another doomed suitor, and ordered her servants to let him in. Elise had caught up with Jakob as he was yelling out to Morrinne, and followed him in, just as the gates were closed.

That evening, Morrinne had Jakob dine with her, so she could get to know him, and to help her figure out what would be the best way for him to die. Elise had disguised herself as a serving girl, so that she might observe Morrinne. Three pairs of eyes watched carefully that evening.

The meal was very long, with many courses, all delicious, but the food may as well have been stale bread and water, for Jakob had eyes only for Morrinne. She was resplendent, showing off her corset over a rich silk skirt; her dark hair cascaded over her smooth shoulders, and her eyes glistened darkly in the candlelight. Elise took a pitcher of wine to Jakob, filled his glass as he emptied it, and then she refilled Morrinne's glass. Elise kept their glasses brimming, until they were both quite drunk. Jakob's head was not used to so much wine, and he reluctantly bid Morrinne a good evening, so that he might go to bed.

Now alone with the witch, Elise watched her more intently. She yawned, and beckoned for another glass of wine. As Elise poured the rich red liquid into the witch's glass, she saw the witch's eyelids drooping slightly. Morrinne dismissed her as she stifled another yawn. Elise retreated to her corner once more, and watched as Morrinne slowly fell asleep at the table.

"Now is my chance!" Elise thought, and quickly tip-toed over to the witch. The corset was tied in many knots, but Elise was determined, and started to loosen it. There were still many knots left, and Elise's fingers were bleeding when Morrinne awoke. Quickly standing, pretending to have just approached her mistress, Elise suggested "My Lady, you look tired. Perhaps you should retire to your chambers, ma'am." Morrinne stood up and casually slapped Elise. "I will not have serving girls tell me what to do." Nonetheless, she disappeared into her chambers for the night.

The next night the same thing happened. Jakob and Morrinne dined together: Morrinne observed Jakob to learn how to make him die, and Jakob observed Morrine to learn how to woo her. Elise, again disguised as a serving-girl, gave them too much wine, and kept their glasses filled. Again, Jakob grew sleepy and reluctantly left his love, and Morrinne fell asleep at the table.

Though Elise's fingers were sore and scabbed from the un-tying the night before, she went straight to work on the remaining knots. She had it down to the last 3 knots when Morrinne awoke again. Elise stood up abruptly, and the dwarf's ruby she had secreted in her bodice fell to the ground. Morrinne caught Elise's hand as she reached for the jewel, believing her to have pried it from her corset. Morrinne, heartless and merciless, explained the penalty for theft, and promptly carried it our herself. She took a carving knife from the table, and cut off two of Elise's fingers, and then sent her to the servants quarters.

The next night, again, the same things passed. Elise was forced to pour wine with a bandaged and sore left hand. When Jakob had left, and Morrinne had fallen asleep at the table once more, Elise resumed her work on the corset knots. It was awkward and agonising from the missing fingers, and miniature poison darts pricked her, only pinpricks. As she undid the final knot, Morrinne awoke, realised what Elise had done, and caught Elise's hair in her hands before she could run away. Elise had one of the laces loose in one hand, and tearing herself out of the witch's grip, she ran with the corset lace. Morrinne shrieked, as the laces rapidly undid, waking Jakob. He rushed in and, still under Morrinne's enchantment, yelled at the serving girl. When she did not respond, Morrinne screamed "Kill her!!" Sword in hand, Jakob caught Elise. Jakob's eyes were filled with fire, and he lifted Elise up, pinned her against the wall. The violent movement pulled the lace free of the last eyelet, and the jewelled corset fell to the ground. Elise said nothing, only smiled a little smile, but Jakob was still under the enchantment, he had to see Morrinne as she was for the spell to be broken, and he killed Elise, cutting her throat.

Elise let out a quiet wail, and then was quiet. Jakob turned and saw the witch as she truly was, and looked back at the crumpled, bloody body of Elise. He dropped his sword, and knelt on the ground. Morrinne, now on the brink of death and madness, all the years held off with magic now hitting her with force, started to laugh. A slow, wheezing laugh, which trailed off into one last breath, and she died.

Jakob was left alone in the room with two dead women, and the jewelled corset. He buried Elise, and dressed her in the corset for her burial, so that she might be beautiful in death, at least; and left the castle. He never returned to his village, and wandered the earth until his feet were bone.

That doesn't make any sense, everyone died, and he killed Elise for the witch.

Of course he did, it said at the beginning that men were fickle.

I didn't like it.

I know. I didn't like it either. But it taught me something. What about you?

Love means nothing. Desire is more powerful. Elise loved Jakob, but Jakob wanted Morrinne.

Good, daughter.

Copyright © Rachel Berry 1999-2000