The Three Beauties
Once upon a time in a bustling village, there lived three unhappy beauties. They were most grievously unhappy, for the townsfolk said they were strange, and perhaps they were.
The three were sisters, though they were not, and they enjoyed many beautiful and dark things that others did not, especially lacy black veils, pretty books of magical charms, and sharp shiny knives. They also much preferred the colors of the midnight sky to the light airy clothes the villagers wore and preferred the gentle rays of the moon to the harsh burden of the sun.
Most of all, though, they loved the woods. The beauties gathered together in their woodland haven amidst the kindly animals, the trees, and the deep night sky and were often caught secreting out into the forest together at odd hours.
As they grew older, the villagers told the beauties how they ought to behave, much to their dismay.
“You must keep a clean house and sweep morning, noon and night.” The villagers told thefirst beauty.
“I do not wish to sweep all day,” said the beauty, “I would rather fly away on my broomstick.” And so, the beauty whittled an enchanted broomstick and flew away deep into the woods.
“You must stew up delicious broth to win yourself a husband,” said the villagers to the second beauty.
The beauty pondered this and said,
“I would much rather stew up a spell than a husband.” And so, the second beauty brewed up a potion and — poof! — was transported into the woods.
“You must wear white and bat your eyelashes at boys,” the townsfolk said to the third.
“I would much rather wear black and become a bat than bat my eyelashes,” Said the third beauty, and so became a dark little bat and fluttered away into the woods.
Now, the three lived very happily in the woods for some time, befriending the animals, the trees, and the night sky. They ate sweet acorns and danced around bright bonfires and spent the days sleeping under the canopy of the fragrant trees. They tended gently to their new forest home, protected the animals who lived beside them, and marveled at the beauty of the night.
But the villagers soon grew upset without them and decided to search for the three beauties, for who would sweep the houses for them, or stew the broth for them, or bat their eyelashes at them?
However, the three beauties did not want to be found because, of course, they were witches. They certainly did not want their toes baked into a cobbler or their noses put in a pudding, as townsfolk often did to witches, and so they hid.
When the angry villagers grew close in their search for the beauties, the kindly trees spread out their leaves and the vines blocked their path. When the villagers thought they spotted the beauties, the brave woodland creatures lead them down false trails. And when the villagers were finally closing in on the beauties, the night sky itself boldly became so thick that not even the
rays of the moon could light the way.
For twelve nights the villagers did search, and for twelve nights, the night sky, the trees, and the creatures of the woods protected the three beauties.
After twelve nights, the pursuers conceded and returned to the village, acquiescing to sweep their own houses, cook their own broth, and bat their own eyelashes at themselves in the looking glass.
The three beauties, therefore, lived happily ever after in the woods. In gratitude for each night they were protected, they hung a new candle in the sky which became a shining star. And if the three beauties are still alive today, the stars shine brightly still.
Photo Credits:
Photographer: Quinna Borden IG: https://www.instagram.com/quinna_borden/
MUA & Concept: Shawné Robinson Exquisite Skin & Beauty LLC IG: @ExquisiteSkinandBeautyllc https://www.instagram.com/exquisiteskinandbeautyllc/
Models:
Sarah Slaykitty IG: @Sarah_Slaykitty https://www.instagram.com/sarah_slaykitty/
Sara Staub IG: @saradollface https://www.instagram.com/saradollface/
Amanda De Leon IG: @MissMandyDeVine https://www.instagram.com/missmandydevine/