Right of the Sun, Left of the Moon
A Norwegian Folk Tale, Part Two
When Lily Rose’s eyes fluttered open with the morning sun, the world had shifted. Gone were the comforts of the castle, vanished like vapor in the night. Instead, she found herself on a patch of verdant grass amidst a foreboding forest, her tattered bundle a solitary companion from her previous life.
With a sigh that carried the weight of her displacement, she ventured forth. Hunger gnawed at her belly, and thirst parched her throat, yet providence smiled upon her with a nearby spring and the bounty of nature’s pantry. Kindness, too, found her in the form of strangers offering sustenance on her journey.
Days stretched into a blur of footsteps until she arrived at the foot of a colossal mountain in Finland, where a melodious tune on a harp drew her attention. A blonde enchantress, seated at its base, became the next chapter in Lily Rose’s odyssey.
“Excuse me,” ventured Lily Rose, her voice soft yet determined, “do you know the whereabouts of the prince, residing in a castle between the Right of the Sun and Left of the Moon, set to marry a princess with an extraordinary nose? I’m on a quest to rescue him.”
The blonde woman’s eyes held a knowing glint as she replied, “How do you come by this knowledge of the prince? Perhaps fate has intertwined our paths for a reason.”
“Yes,” Lily Rose affirmed, “indeed, I am meant for him.”
With cryptic wisdom, the woman spoke of the prince’s elusive abode and the challenges ahead. “Nevertheless,” she continued, “you may borrow my steed to seek counsel from my cousin in Sweden. She may illuminate your path further. Just give the horse a gentle nudge under the left ear when your journey ends, and he shall return home. Take this harp, too, for it may serve you well.”
Accepting the harp and mounting the borrowed horse, Lily Rose resumed her quest. The miles blurred by until Russia welcomed her weary form. A young woman, elegant with a fan in hand, became her next guidepost.
“Excuse me,” inquired Lily Rose, “do you know the way to the castle between the Right of the Sun and Left of the Moon? I seek to free the prince from a troll’s curse.”
Regret filled the young woman’s eyes as she confessed her limited knowledge, yet she offered aid in the form of another horse and directions to her royal sister in Russia. “Perhaps she holds the key to your quest,” she suggested, gifting Lily Rose the fan as a token.
Empowered by her encounters and newfound tools, Lily Rose rode onward. The girl who had once been sheltered had transformed into a resilient traveler, relying on her wits and strength in the wilderness. Her determination burned brighter with each passing day.
At last, she arrived in a Russian city, where a princess resided in opulent splendor. Their meeting was marked by curiosity and shared purpose.
“Your highness,” began Lily Rose, “do you possess knowledge of the castle between the Right of the Sun and Left of the Moon? I am destined to rescue the prince from an ill-fated union.”
The princess’s eyes widened with recognition. “I’ve dreamt of a courageous soul seeking the prince. Could it be you?”
“Yes, it is I,” affirmed Lily Rose, her resolve unyielding. “I must prevent his forced marriage to a princess with a prodigious nose.”
Impressed by her bravery, the princess imparted what little she knew of the castle’s location and a suggestion to seek the East Wind’s aid. A horse and a jeweled necklace accompanied these revelations, offering practicality and hope for Lily Rose’s quest.
Lily Rose Meets the Winds
Now adorned with treasures and knowledge, Lily Rose set forth to find the elusive East Wind, her heart beating with the rhythm of destiny as she traversed distant lands and endless skies.
As Lily Rose finally arrived at her destination, she confronted the East Wind with a plea wrapped in determination. “Can you divulge the path leading to the prince dwelling Right of the Sun and Left of the Moon? I am set on his liberation.”
The East Wind’s response carried a hint of mystery. “I’ve heard tales of the prince and the castle, yet I’m unacquainted with the way, having never ventured so far. However, if you wish, I can escort you to my sister, the West Wind. Perhaps she possesses the knowledge, being far mightier than I. Hold onto my hand, and I’ll transport you there.”
Thus, Lily Rose grasped the East Wind’s hand, propelling them swiftly away from her home.
Upon reaching the abode of the West Wind, they encountered a tempestuous reception, feeling the chill of her gusts long before approaching her dwelling.
“What brings you here?” the West Wind’s thunderous voice echoed as she howled from a distance, her power sending shivers through them.
Unfazed, Lily Rose presented their purpose. “We seek the prince who resides in the castle Right of the Sun and Left of the Moon. Can you guide us there? We aim to rescue him.”
Acknowledging her sister’s presence, the West Wind responded, “I know the way well. I once carried an aspen leaf there, though it left me exhausted for days. If you’re resolute and unafraid, I’ll bear you on my back and attempt the journey.”
Eagerly, Lily Rose affirmed, “I must go, no matter the risk. Fear doesn’t deter me.”
“Rest here tonight,” commanded the West Wind. “Tomorrow, we embark early to ensure success.”
The next morning, the West Wind surged with renewed vigor, carrying them through the skies as if traversing the edge of the world.
Their journey unleashed a tempest below, wreaking havoc on land and sea, demonstrating the immense power at their command.
As they drew closer to their destination, fatigue weighed heavily upon the West Wind. Dropping to sea level, she questioned Lily Rose, “Are you afraid?”
“No,” came the steadfast reply.
With a final burst of strength, the West Wind propelled Lily Rose onto the castle shore before succumbing to exhaustion, requiring days of rest.
Lily Rose Arrives at the Prince’s Castle
Seated beneath the castle windows, Lily Rose began to play her harp, catching the attention of the troll princess, the prince’s captor.
“How much for your harp?” inquired the princess.
“It’s not for sale, not for gold or silver,” Lily Rose firmly declared.
Perplexed, the princess pressed, “If not for gold or silver, what then?”
Without hesitation, Lily Rose answered, “For freedom, for the prince’s freedom.”
“Well, it’s yours,” said the girl who rode in on the coattails of the West and East Wind, “if I can spend the night with the prince who resides here.”
“Very well,” conceded the troll princess with a decisive air as she claimed the lute. She had her plans set.
That night, as Lily Rose ascended to the prince’s chamber, she found him in a deep slumber. Despite her shouts and shakes, he remained oblivious, having been drugged with a potent sleeping draught.
At dawn’s first light, the troll princess with the elongated nose ousted her from the prince’s room.
Later that day, the girl returned beneath the castle’s windows, fanning herself with the fan as before.
The princess, intrigued, opened a window and inquired, “How much for your fan?”
“As I’ve said, it’s not for sale, not for any riches. But if I can be with the prince tonight, you may have it.”
Agreeing to the terms, the princess allowed her entry once more.
Yet again, Lily Rose found the prince fast asleep, impervious to her efforts to rouse him. With the dawn, the long-nosed princess ejected her from the chamber once more.
Undeterred, Lily Rose sat beneath the castle windows again, now adorned with the necklace. Spotting this, the princess desired it too.
“How much for your necklace?” she queried.
“As before, it’s not for sale. But if I may spend the night with the prince, it’s yours.”
“Agreed,” said the princess.
Meanwhile, Christian folk residing in the castle overheard the commotion. They informed the prince of the mysterious woman’s nightly visits.
That evening, feigning to drink the potion offered by the troll princess, the prince remained vigilant. When Lily Rose arrived, he was wide awake and eager to hear her story.
The Prince Has A Plan
Realizing the impending forced marriage, the prince devised a plan. He would test his bride-to-be by requesting her to wash a shirt with three drops of wax. Knowing only Christian folk could achieve such a feat, he would use this as a pretext to reject the troll princess and marry Lily Rose instead.
The night was filled with joy and revelations, leading to a daring scheme to thwart the impending wedding.
On the wedding day, the prince declared, “First, I wish to see what my bride can do.”
The old troll hag, the prince’s stepmother, replied, “Yes, you may do so.”
“In the folds of time’s fabric,” murmured the prince, his voice carrying the weight of a forgotten era, “lies a fine garment, an emblem of purity and destiny. It shall be my wedding shirt, adorned only by the most skilled hands, free of three drops of stubborn wax. For I have pledged my heart to she who can unravel this cryptic tapestry. Those who fail are unworthy of the throne beside me.”
“Such a trivial task,” scoffed the stepmother troll with a cunning glint in her eye, her words laced with malice. Her daughter, the princess with an elongated nose resembling an ancient riddle, nodded in acquiescence.
The long-nosed princess embarked on the challenge, fervently scrubbing the fabric, yet the stains defiantly swelled. The collective efforts of the troll kin only exacerbated the darkness, rendering the once pristine garment akin to a chimney sweep’s attire.
“A pitiful display,” lamented the prince, his disappointment palpable. “There exists outside this window a humble maiden, a paragon of diligence. I wager she possesses the alchemy needed to restore this shirt.” His command summoned Lily Rose into the fray.
“Do you dare to cleanse this cloth?” he inquired, his gaze piercing through time’s veil.
“I cannot promise,” Lily Rose replied, humility cloaked in determination. “But I shall endeavor.”
As the fabric met the water’s embrace, an enchantment unfolded. The once stained tapestry metamorphosed into a canvas of purity, rivaling the snow’s luminance and transcending it.
“You,” the prince declared with reverence, “are the bearer of my heart’s desire.”
In a fit of gnashing fury, the old troll hag realized her defeat, her rage echoing through the ages until her essence dispersed into oblivion. The troll princess with her elongated nose, along with their kin, faded into myth, their legacy entwined with forgotten shadows.
The prince and his chosen bride liberated the imprisoned souls within the castle’s confines. Laden with treasures beyond measure, they departed from the castle’s enigmatic borders, venturing toward the horizon where East melded with the Sun’s last embrace and West entwined with the Moon’s ethereal glow.
And thus, their odyssey transcended time’s constraints, their union resonating in the chronicles of eternity as they navigated the realms of dreams and realities.
THE END
