Finally, I had an opportunity. The only other SR members who lived in Boston were Sid and Kris, who lived in Jamaica Plain. They were about to move to New York and we decided to make hosting at my place one week and hosting at theirs the next a package deal. The other SRers reluctantly agreed.
However, after SR at my place, Elizabeth complained about the lack of parking, etc., and it kind of annoyed me.
I don't know if it's still done there, but at that time, we always sent out regular mail invitations and they were always very creative. I couldn't sleep that night because I was mulling over the idea of doing Sid and Kris' invitation and making it into a story. The story would be about a girl named Elizabeth coming to Storyreading and the directions would be included as part of the story.
However, as I thought about the idea into the night, I realized that there was going to be more than just a paragraph. Finally, I turned on the light and started writing it all down. The final draft was a result of that night plus some small additions the next day when I typed it up.
I read it at Storyreading at Sid and Kris' and it was a great success. I was afraid that Liz would hate it, but she loved it and asked for a copy.
by Gail Gurman
(Background)Once upon a time there was a little girl named Elizabeth. She lived in a magical town called Whinterville which lay north of a village called Wentunnel which in turn lay north of the Frank River.
Beyond the Frank River was a mysterious county which included the towns of Nunston(1), Darkton, and Cuba Fancy. The citizens of Whinterville avoided the towns south of the river as much as possible. This was because of an old legend concerning a young man who crossed the river never to return (of course there is much more to this story but, as this legend is related annually at the Feast of Warning, and at that time takes three days to tell, please forgive the author for omitting it here).
Of the towns south of the river, Cuba Fancy was the most dreaded. Angry parents of Whinterville often threatened disobedient children with a visit there.
Little Elizabeth had been one of those children. She was raised on a fear of the Dark County, as the dread region was known.
Elizabeth was a pretty girl and quite intelligent. She had many friends both in Whinterville and in Wentunnel. Nevertheless, she was often unhappy.
One day a Gypsy caravan came to town and Elizabeth decided to go and have her fortune told. The Gypsy fortune-teller stared for a long time into the center of her rubber ball(2) and finally said:
"In order for you to find true happiness, you must find a white deer(3) that is red."
"What?" said Elizabeth. "How can I find a white deer that is red? That doesn't make sense!"
"That's all I can tell you," the Gypsy said, ushering Elizabeth out of her caravan.
Elizabeth pondered this problem for a while and then thought, I think I'll ask my friends. Maybe they can figure it out. So she went to the house of her friend Seth(4) and his sister Beth. She told them all about what the Gypsy had said. After a pause, Beth said, "I don't know what this all means but I suggest that we consult with our friends, Peter and Martin."
Peter and Martin also were stumped. Martin mentioned that another friend, Maury, might be able to help. The others agreed. However, since Maury lived in North Whinterville, a walk of several hours, it was decided that they should all meet at Elizabeth's house in the morning and set out on the journey from there.
The next morning, they met as planned. Before they left, they informed Elizabeth's sisters, Jill, Robin, and Janet of the reason for their quest. Jill and Robin listened politely but could offer no suggestions. Janet, however, decided to join the quest, as she had always read about quests and yearned to go on one of her own.(5)
When the group, which now numbered six, arrived at Maury's house, they described the problem to her. Unfortunately, she was as puzzled as the rest but offered her help in the quest for the red white deer.
On they went, consulting with friends and growing in number until they had added at least seven more: the brothers Bob and George; Katya, the Elvin Princess; the folk group, Center of the Universe(6), whose members included Danièle, David, and Gideon; and Larry, Elizabeth's twin cousin(7). There were others, but because of their schedules, they could only help occasionally.
After several weeks, the friends were still in the dark about the red white deer. Elizabeth suggested that they all take a break for a few days, consider the problem independently, and meet again afterwards. They all agreed and went home.
On the third day of rest, Elizabeth got a piece of mail: an envelope addressed to her but with no return address. When she opened it up, she found a piece of parchment on which was printed this message:
YOU ARE INVITED TO A STORYREADING
CUBA FANCY
TUESDAY
9:00pm
Not knowing what to do, Elizabeth decided to go for a walk around the block. When she reached the corner, she discovered a frail-looking old woman attempting to cross the street which, although usually peaceful, was busy, it being rush hour.
Elizabeth offered to help and within two minutes, the old woman and the young girl were on the other side of the street.
"How can I thank you?" the old woman asked.
"You don't have to thank me," answered Elizabeth modestly.
"Ah, but I must," insisted the old woman.
She thought a moment and then her eyes brightened. Out of her pocket she pulled a thread on the end of which was a thorn.
"Take this," she said, handing it to Elizabeth. "It may look like an ordinary thorn, but it is really magic. If you tell it where you want to go, it will point in the correct direction." And with that, the old woman vanished.
Without a moment's hesitation, Elizabeth rushed home and called her friends to tell them about the old woman and the thorn. The next morning, the intrepid dozen met and consulted the thorn.
Elizabeth held the thorn by the end of the thread and said: "Thorn, we seek a white deer that is red. Point us in the right direction." The thorn spun for a minute and then stopped as if drawn by a magnet.
Larry took out the compass that he always carried(8)--him being a promising orienteerer--and held it next to the thorn. "South," he declared. "It must be in Wentunnel."
Two hours later, the friends were marching down the main street in Wentunnel with Elizabeth at the head of the pack holding the thorn. They walked and walked, the thorn still pointing south, until they came to the Frank River.
"What's wrong," said Janet, who had been reading during the whole journey (guided by Danièle). "Why have we stopped?" Looking up, she realized the answer to her question. The others were all standing by the edge of the river gazing in terror at the opposite bank. The Dark County itself could not be seen, as it was shrouded by a thick mist.
"I guess this is it," Elizabeth said finally. "We can't go over there. I knew it was too good to be true!"
There was silence for several minutes. Then Gideon spoke: "Why not?" The others glared at him.
"Hey," he said. "We're not searching for some trivial thing like a beautiful princess, or prince, or a pot of gold! We're talking true happiness here! We have got to face our childhood fears and conquer them! I want true happiness and I'm going to get it. I'm going over! Who's coming with me?"
Again silence. Then Danièle and David looked at each other, nodded, and went to stand by Gideon. One by one, the others joined them until only Elizabeth stood apart.
"Come on, Elizabeth," pleaded Beth.
"We'll all be together and that will make us strong," said Peter.
"Please come," Seth urged. "We need you."
Reluctantly, Elizabeth gave in and completed the group, sticking close to her cousin for support.
After visiting the market to buy some provisions, the group made their way cautiously over the bridge into the Dark County. Following the thorn, they passed through Nunston and Darkton and finally into Cuba Fancy. However, instead of growing more fearful as they approached Cuba Fancy, the opposite happened. On journeying through the Dark County, the group discovered that it was not what they had expected. True, it was darker and dirtier than their beautiful Whinterville, but there didn't seem to be anything particularly dangerous (the tales told of dragons who lurked in alleys, evil gnomes who inhabited doorways, and streets paved with poisonous slime).
Having walked for several hours, the friends found themselves at the door of a large white house. Elizabeth, who by this time had recovered her usual courage, held the thorn up to the bank of buzzers next to the door and pressed the appropriate button.
After a few seconds, a barefoot man with a friendly smile came to the door.
"Hello," he said. "Can I help you?"
"I hope so, Sir," Elizabeth replied. "We are looking for a white deer that is red and our thorn led us here."
"I certainly can help you then," the man said with a chuckle. "Please, everyone, come in...right up these stairs."
At the top of the stairs, the group was guided into a large room, in which were seated two women, one of whom held a small book.
"Hello," said the woman with the book. "You're just in time. We were just about to start. Names: I'm Kris."
"Gail," said the woman next to her.
"Sid," said the barefooted man.
"Sid?!" echoed Elizabeth. "Where have I heard that name before? I know! That was the name of the legendary young man who crossed the Frank River never to return!"
"That's me," said the barefoot man, smiling wider.
"But the stories always seemed to imply that the young man met a cruel fate and died a painful death," David mentioned. "You are very much alive, and not only that...you appear to be happy!"
"I am," replied Sid. "Very happy. That's why I never went back to Whinterville. Anyway, enough about me...we were doing names!"
"Well then," said Elizabeth who was still a little curious about what was going on but somewhat reassured to know that the young man had turned out okay. "Well then, I'm Elizabeth."
"Seth"
"Beth"
"Willy Wonka," said Peter(9), whereupon he was pelted by small rubber balls(10). "Okay, okay: Peter."
"Martin."
The others said their names in order around the room and, after a slight hesitation, sat down. When all were seated, the woman named Kris opened her book and said: "Tonight's reading is The White Deer..." Then she cleared her throat and began to read.
Elizabeth and her friends looked at each other. They were all about to yell "Aha!" or "That's it!" or something similar, but they held their peace, deciding in a split-second that the best way to use their new-found knowledge was in silence.
They sat back and listened to the tale, and lived truly happily ever after.
The End.
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Last modified: Thu May 29 15:06:26 PDT 1997
Gail Gurman <gailg@wco.com>