A Town Called Twinkleslump

Long ago and far away, in a small village called Twinkleslump, stood an enchanted wishing well, right smack in the middle of the town square. Although Twinkleslump was technically a village, the village people had all agreed to call it a 'town square' and not a 'village square,' hoping it would grow into a town once everyone, far and wide, learned of their well.

No one knew who had enchanted the well (perhaps a magical fairy?), but all knew of the magic it held. The magic was that twice in one's lifetime (if one was very lucky) one could make a wish, drop a gold coin in the well and that wish would come true. The two times one could do that was on the exact day of their eighteenth and eighty-first birthdays.

Although Twinkleslump was a happy village with a low crime rate, times were hard, and most people did not make it past forty-six, let alone to eighty-one. So it was quite a surprise when old man Cynster, bent and hunchbacked, relying heavily on his sturdy, hand-carved red quebracho walking cane, appeared in the square and headed straight for the well.

What was surprising about Cynster's appearance was that everyone had assumed he was dead. He had not been seen since the Great Thawing. Also, quebracho was the hardest wood in the land, so how he had managed to carve it into a fair likeness of himself was impressive, as he was not known to be a wood carver. He had been a rather unskilled dentist, but that was long ago and few talk of it.

As was common in the square, several children were playing a game called 'sucker' that comprised a round red piece of hard fruit called a 'rouge' that was batting around with either feet and head but no hands. The rules were vague and constantly changing.

Cynster hated children, so he ignored them and their game as he threaded his way through the annoyed players to the well. He propped his cane up against it and took a lone gold coin from his threadbare cloth purse, blew the dust off it and closed his eyes, concentrating hard upon his wish. Being short of stature, he had to lean far forward to drop the coin into the well.

Perhaps an accident or intentional–Jubie Colling was acknowledged far and wide as Twinkleslump's star sucker player–his wild rouge kick hit Cynster smack in the back of his head, causing him to fall forward into the well. Cynster's cursed cries could be heard all throughout the square as he fell.

"My wish is that none shall ever be allowed to wish again in this well!"

Plop!

As chance would have it, Princess Angees skipped into the town square seconds later. She had just turned eighteen that very day and was quite excited to make her wish. She knew nothing of the curse of Cynster or his fall, as she had spent the last two hours brushing her golden locks.

As she blithely approached the well, something very astonishing happened. The eyes on the crude face on Cynster's walking cane opened and glanced around! Then its mouth yawned open and snarled at the world in general.

Then it saw Angees heading for the well and walked* right up to her.

(*Not ‘walked’ as you or I might walk – rather it made stiff little hops, but for a cane was still rather astonishing.)

"Hold it, Princess," the cane challenged. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"It's my eighteenth birthday and I wish to make a wish."

"Nuh uh, nope. No can do," the cane said.

"Why not?" The Princess pouted.

"Not allowed."

"Why not?" she repeated.

"My master cursed this well. No wishes from now on, so scoot."

"But I'm a lovely Princess!"

And with that, she tried to rush past the walking cane, but it blocked her. She dodged left, circled right, feinting as if she was going to walk away, then charged back - but each time the cane was too fast for her.

"Give it up. No one gets past me!" the cane gloated.

Angees saw the futility of the situation and sat down in the dirt and cried. The cane circled the parameter of the well, daring anyone, even Jubie, to try and get past him. No one dared.

As chance would once again have it, a handsome squire approached on horseback. He saw the teary-eyed princess and the strange walking cane circling the well and said, "What's all this, then?"

"Shove off, you!" the cane said.

The squire ignored the cane and instead dismounted, bowed and held his hand to the princess, by whom he was immediately enchanted.

"My Lady. I am Obscure, one if the lesser squires of the realm. May I be of some assistance?"

Angees explained the entire story (so far) to him.

"Alas, be it of some coincidence, for I too am just eighteen this very day and have traveled far to make a wish."

"He won't let you," the Princess pouted, pointing to the jeering cane. "Say, I like your horse!" She left Obscure to go over and pet it.

"We shall see about this!" Obscure approached the cane. "Let me pass, good cane, so that I may quench of my thirst."

"You want a drink of water?" the cane asked.

"Indeed."

"You don't want to make a wish?"

"Nope."

"I don't believe you."

"Aha! Because I was just jesting!" And with that, Obscure pulled a coin from his pocket and ran toward the well. But before he could toss it in, the cane got underfoot and tripped him. The knight flew headfirst into the well.

The princess ran to the well.

"You are foiled good cane," Obscure called up as he fell, "and with this coin I shall make a wish and that wish is that my dear Princess's wish doth come true!"

Plop!

"So, what's your wish, Princess?" the cane turned to ask.

"I was going to wish for a pony..." she said, glancing over at the squire's horse, "so, I guess my wish came through after all."

-The End-