Jorindel and Jorinda

     Once upon a time, in a small village, there was an old, ugly witch who was short and fat, and here long curved nose almost reached her chin.  She hated her ugly features so she hid herself away in her secluded cottage in the nearby wood.  To keep others from bothering her she cast a spell on her land, for she hated visitors.  Should any young man trespass on her grounds they would find themselves frozen in place, unable to move until the old witch made them promise to never return.  While she hated trespassers, what she hated most were pretty young women, for she was jealous of their beauty.  If a young lady stumbled upon her land, she would turn them into nightingales and hung them in a special room where she would listen to them sing all day.  Her collection had added up to around 700 birds.  

     One day a young man named Jornidel took his soon to be wife Jornida on a lovely walk in the woods.  As they began to follow the path into the woods Jornidel said to his beloved, "We must be wary of the old witch's cottage, for I don't know how I'd get along without you."
She simply kissed his cheek and walked with him into the woods.  They walked and walked as they admired the red and gold leaves, almost as well as they admired each other.  As the sun began to dip down behind the hills the two decided to return home.  However, they were unaware of which path lead back to the village, so they decided to sit and rest for a spell.  The two sat close to one another and held each other tight, for they both felt the strange feeling that they were soon to be separated.  This feeling was grimly correct, for when they rose to go home, Jorindel could not move.
"My love, why have you stopped?" asked Jorinda as she turned to see the dreaded cottage behind them.  Not long after, with a flash and a crackle, the witch appeared with an ugly smile upon her ugly face.
"My, what do we have hear? A new pet to add to my collection?" she said with her scratchy voice.
A single tear rolled down Jorinda's face as the witch's powerful magic transformed her into a nightingale.  

     After promising to never return Jorindel sadly began to walk down a random path that lead him to a new town.  He paid for lodging and settled down for the night, crying himself to sleep.  In his sleep, he vividly dreamed of himself picking a strange, purple flower, which he then took with him to the witch's cottage.  He touched the gate with the flower, and with a green sizzle, it opened.  In shock, he awakened.  He must find this flower to free his love.  

     He searched for a week before he found the flower.  Immediately, he ran to the witch's cottage.  He touched the gate with the flower, and just like in his dream, it fizzled and popped and opened with a creak.
"Aha!" he said, "The flower breaks the enchantment!" he glowed with excitement.  He entered the cottage and, by listening to the sound of chirping, found his way to the room with the birds.  The witch leapt at the sight of Jorindel, for she had never had anyone bypass the spell.  She lunged at him, but found because of the flowers power she could not come but within two yards of him.  He scanned the room, how could he tell which one was Jorinda?  But then, the old witch snatched one of the birds and began to waddle away as fast as she could.  He ran towards her, and touched the bird in her hand with the flower, who then turned in to his lovely Jorinda. She hugged her hero very tightly.  He then worked until every nightingale was changed back into a young lady so they may return to their loved ones.  

      Jorindel and Jorinda returned home, and were married shortly after, and the old ugly witch was never heard from again.

                                     THE END