Story Wise Carol J. Webb

This is one of my favourite stories of transformation. Prince Lindworm sheds his scales, not because of harsh threats, but because one woman had the strength to see what was hiding under those scales. It is being said by women who were carried along by a feminist movement that discounted men, that plenty of lye was applied but the soft silky milk was no-where to be seen.

Before writing there was story, while entertaining the listener, great truths were passed from generation to generation, and nothing has ever bought people together in the way that story does. Stories are our birthright and our guiding light, our strength in dark times and our joy in good times, they carry us along the uneven paths of life until, once more, we emerge into another reality.

A lovely story of women and wisdom being the key to outwitting evil. Our wise woman of Kent knew her herbs and was a good judge of people, she married her equal, saved the princess Invicta from a wicked curse and prospered to the end of her days.

It's only natural to want something that you really can't afford to pay for, and poor peasants aren't any different. Our peasant who lived in challenging times, a time when agriculture was undergoing drastic change, when peasants were suffering from the enclosure act because of lost communal grazing, when poverty was rife and money was scarce, must mean that we have sympathy for those who longed for beauty in their lives. Our poor peasant made a deal with the devil which he could never pay, and had it not been for his wise wife, would have been forced to pay the ultimate price for his longing.

We all know that crossroads are tricky places, the gibbet where public hangings took place was positioned there, the ale house at the crossroads was often haunted, and you never knew who you were going to meet. Our three travellers met with life changing experiences, so be vigilant when you stop at a crossroads!

Jack went in search of his luck, and despite all the help that he got, he persisted in following the instructions that he thought he understood.