Princess Brunhilda was born to a family of peasants. When she was young, an enchantress dressed in long orange robes gave her an emerald crown, foretelling if she wore it, she would get one chance to marry a prince. A prince did indeed arrange for her hand in marriage. The day before the wedding, she ran away with a knight, taking the emerald crown with her. The knight was killed in battle, Brunhilda’s was left to survive on her own.
Brunhilda’s traveled for many miles, finding a place to build a cottage. She learned to tend to things. To mend, to cook and to sew. Brunhilda kept the emerald crown hidden away in a cupboard. They’re were days when she went hungry, unable to find enough to eat. Tinkers offered to pay a high price for it, but she never sold.
One day, a cat showed up. Brunhilda liked this cat. Orange, and soft, and cuddly; it was another mouth to feed, but she was okay with that. The cat liked her and she liked it back. It was someone to keep her company, on her own in the forest.
A year after she had run away a messenger arrived, informing her a prince would be riding past her home the next day, looking for his lost princess with an emerald crown.
The night before the prince was to arrive. Brunhilda tried on her only dress, her best shoes and put on the emerald crown. In her head she thought, tomorrow my fate will change forever.
Brunhilda became nervous. What if she made a mistake? What if the crown wasn’t enough? What if she wasn’t enough? She stood in her front yard, admiring the moon, and watching her cat. The cat began to walk into the dark forest.
Brunhilda, begged for the cat to turn around. When that didn’t work she began to walk, hoping it wouldn’t go far. The cat kept going, and so did she. Brunhilda tried to remember her way, but in the darkness it was hard to tell. The cat got spooked and sprinted under a bush. Brunhilda broke into a run, tripping over a branch and falling head over heels. Her dress was torn and the crown tumbled away. The cat was nowhere to be found.
After walking in circles all night, she was able to find a stream, following it many miles back home. By the time she returned home, it was twilight. The orange cat was sitting in front of her home next to her emerald crown. Brunhilda turned around as as man in shining armor was riding towards them in horseback.
Upon seeing her clothes torn and dirty, the prince asked "who are thee?"
She replied, "I am princess Brunhilda, your wife soon to be."
In her tattered clothes and distraught hair, The prince could not believe her to be the beautiful princess he was expecting. Behind her, the orange cat had transformed into the sorceress from so long ago, wearing the emerald crown on her head. The prince rode away, taking the sorceress as his wife.
Brunhilda began to sob. As tears flowed down her face and into the ground. She sat there so long, a tree began to grow around her. Even though Brunhilda had lost the crown, some of the magic from the sorceress was still inside of her. Over time the tree attracted fairies for it’s magical aura. The tree for a long time, becoming a haven. If you still look closely, you can see Brunhilda in the middle, silently sobbing, waiting for her prince to return.
Notes
- Inspired by The Horseshoe, from The Oblivion Tales by Melanie Mau and Martin Schnella