One day there was a little girl, named Sarah, who loved to watch movies. Especially fairytales. She would dress up in her favorite princess gown to watch each one. She had a blue puffy dress, a pink sparkly skinny dress, and a purple mermaid dress. She even had one that had wings so she could be a fairy godmother.
Some days she even got to be a beautiful little princess on stage beside her mother. They were actors. Their makeup station backstage was beside each other. Her mother's station had pictures of her little girl, her family, and other great actresses that came before her. The little girl had the same picture with her mother, one with her grandmother, and all of the princesses that she watches in the movies covered the edge of her mirror.
One of the stagehands once told the little girl of a ghost that lived in the theater. It is said if the actors and actresses talk to the ghost and bring it gifts, the ghost will bring good luck to them. The ghost died of a heartbreak on stage. Her one and only true love was the stage and acting. She is said to be more beautiful than the princess in the pictures the Sarah had on her mirror.
One particular show Sarah was especially nervous. She loved acting on stage, it was like playing make-believe. During intermission, Sarah went to the makeshift shrine she had made years before for the ghost. She brought her a few flowers from the bouquet she had from the last show and some of her favorite chocolate. She thought if she was a teenager she wouldn't be as nervous as she was today on stage. There was a rumble and the shrine shook. Startled Sarah looked around but saw nothing.
"Sarah, come on hunny. The show must continue and we're up." Her mother smiled as she called for her little girl.
"Coming momma! The ghost just needed some chocolate." Sarah said hurrying back to her mother.
The next morning when Sarah woke up she was too tall for her bed. She was confused, she fit just right last night when she went to bed. So why was she too tall now. She went to brush her teeth and just stopped staring in the mirror. She was older, about 10 years older to be exact. She was now a teenager! It worked Sarah thought. As she went downstairs her mother didn't say anything about the change. Even at the theater nothing. No one said anything about the change, about that she had age 10 years overnight.
Tonights show Sarah was fumbling around not use to her extra height. She was off her marks all night because her steps were now larger than before. Also, the lights were in her eyes all night because she was off her marks on where to stand on stage. During intermission again Sarah went to the makeshift with flowers and chocolate again and started talking to the ghost.
"Why am I off all my marks, and forgetting my lines tonight? I never forget my lines. I know if I am an adult like my mother I won't forget my lines anymore. And I will not be nervous." Sarah said to the ghost once again. There was a rumble and the shrine shook. Startled again Sarah looked around but did not see anything.
"Sarah, come on hunny. The show must continue and we're up. What has been up with you today love?" Her mother said as she called for her little girl.
"Coming momma! The ghost just needed some chocolate and flowers is all." Sarah said hurrying back to the stage just in time for curtain call.
The next morning Sarah woke up earlier than she had in a long time and ran to the mirror. She looked just like her mother. She ran downstairs to give her mother a hug. She was nowhere to be found. Odd, where could mom be at? Sarah thought. She went to the theater, her mother's makeup station was empty. In the drawer of Sarah's station, she found the box of all her mother's pictures she had on her mirror. There was even a picture of Sarah graduating from the theater program at NYU. Sarah asked one of the stagehands what had happened to her mother.
"Do you not remember Sarah? She died last year. There was a wreck you both were in the car." The stagehand said softly
"Oh, right. I remember now. Thank you. I must have hit my head today and forgot." Sarah said holding back tears.
At intermission, as she had done before, Sarah took the largest bouquet she could find and an entire box of chocolate. She hurried to the makeshift shrine fighting back tears to talk to the ghost.
"Please, Please make me a little girl again. I was wrong, I am not ready to be an adult. I need my mother back! Please help me. I miss my mother!" Sarah said in between sobs.
"Sarah, where are you. You're up! The curtain is about to go up!" A stagehand yelled for Sarah
"Coming! The ghost of the theater, she needed some flowers was all." Sarah said running back to her mark on the stage.
This time the whole theater shook, everyone felt it. Sarah smiled and finished the show to make her mother proud.
The next morning when Sarah woke up, she was back in her bed now too large for her. She was in her princess pink nightgown, and all of her dolls were back in their proper places. She ran into her bathroom, she couldn't see herself in the mirror. She was to short! Excited she ran into her mother's room and jumped on her bed giving her the biggest hug that she was able to give.
"Momma! You're back!" Sarah yelled waking up her mother.
Laughing her mother said, "Well where else would I be? I saw you last night when I tucked you in bed after the show hunny."
Bibliography:
The Stonecutter: The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H.J. ford 1903 Japanese Fairy Tales
Image:
Some days she even got to be a beautiful little princess on stage beside her mother. They were actors. Their makeup station backstage was beside each other. Her mother's station had pictures of her little girl, her family, and other great actresses that came before her. The little girl had the same picture with her mother, one with her grandmother, and all of the princesses that she watches in the movies covered the edge of her mirror.
One of the stagehands once told the little girl of a ghost that lived in the theater. It is said if the actors and actresses talk to the ghost and bring it gifts, the ghost will bring good luck to them. The ghost died of a heartbreak on stage. Her one and only true love was the stage and acting. She is said to be more beautiful than the princess in the pictures the Sarah had on her mirror.
One particular show Sarah was especially nervous. She loved acting on stage, it was like playing make-believe. During intermission, Sarah went to the makeshift shrine she had made years before for the ghost. She brought her a few flowers from the bouquet she had from the last show and some of her favorite chocolate. She thought if she was a teenager she wouldn't be as nervous as she was today on stage. There was a rumble and the shrine shook. Startled Sarah looked around but saw nothing.
"Sarah, come on hunny. The show must continue and we're up." Her mother smiled as she called for her little girl.
"Coming momma! The ghost just needed some chocolate." Sarah said hurrying back to her mother.
The next morning when Sarah woke up she was too tall for her bed. She was confused, she fit just right last night when she went to bed. So why was she too tall now. She went to brush her teeth and just stopped staring in the mirror. She was older, about 10 years older to be exact. She was now a teenager! It worked Sarah thought. As she went downstairs her mother didn't say anything about the change. Even at the theater nothing. No one said anything about the change, about that she had age 10 years overnight.
Tonights show Sarah was fumbling around not use to her extra height. She was off her marks all night because her steps were now larger than before. Also, the lights were in her eyes all night because she was off her marks on where to stand on stage. During intermission again Sarah went to the makeshift with flowers and chocolate again and started talking to the ghost.
"Why am I off all my marks, and forgetting my lines tonight? I never forget my lines. I know if I am an adult like my mother I won't forget my lines anymore. And I will not be nervous." Sarah said to the ghost once again. There was a rumble and the shrine shook. Startled again Sarah looked around but did not see anything.
"Sarah, come on hunny. The show must continue and we're up. What has been up with you today love?" Her mother said as she called for her little girl.
"Coming momma! The ghost just needed some chocolate and flowers is all." Sarah said hurrying back to the stage just in time for curtain call.
The next morning Sarah woke up earlier than she had in a long time and ran to the mirror. She looked just like her mother. She ran downstairs to give her mother a hug. She was nowhere to be found. Odd, where could mom be at? Sarah thought. She went to the theater, her mother's makeup station was empty. In the drawer of Sarah's station, she found the box of all her mother's pictures she had on her mirror. There was even a picture of Sarah graduating from the theater program at NYU. Sarah asked one of the stagehands what had happened to her mother.
"Do you not remember Sarah? She died last year. There was a wreck you both were in the car." The stagehand said softly
"Oh, right. I remember now. Thank you. I must have hit my head today and forgot." Sarah said holding back tears.
At intermission, as she had done before, Sarah took the largest bouquet she could find and an entire box of chocolate. She hurried to the makeshift shrine fighting back tears to talk to the ghost.
"Please, Please make me a little girl again. I was wrong, I am not ready to be an adult. I need my mother back! Please help me. I miss my mother!" Sarah said in between sobs.
"Sarah, where are you. You're up! The curtain is about to go up!" A stagehand yelled for Sarah
"Coming! The ghost of the theater, she needed some flowers was all." Sarah said running back to her mark on the stage.
This time the whole theater shook, everyone felt it. Sarah smiled and finished the show to make her mother proud.
The next morning when Sarah woke up, she was back in her bed now too large for her. She was in her princess pink nightgown, and all of her dolls were back in their proper places. She ran into her bathroom, she couldn't see herself in the mirror. She was to short! Excited she ran into her mother's room and jumped on her bed giving her the biggest hug that she was able to give.
"Momma! You're back!" Sarah yelled waking up her mother.
Laughing her mother said, "Well where else would I be? I saw you last night when I tucked you in bed after the show hunny."
Authors Note:
This story is based off The Stonecutter from the Japanese Fairy Tales unit. The little girl is like the stonecutter, always wanting to be something else. I decided to have the little girl and her mother be actresses because what little girl wouldn't love to play dress up every night with her mother. The little girl did not see acting as a job, just spending the summer playing with her mother is all. When the Sarah is finally adult she realizes that she is not ready for it, mainly because her best friend and mother is no longer with her.
Bibliography:
The Stonecutter: The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H.J. ford 1903 Japanese Fairy Tales
Image:
Hi Megan! I really enjoyed your story! I thought it was really cute. I didn't get a chance to read The Stonecutter, but I liked how descriptive your story was and easy to read. The story flowed real smoothly, too. Keep up the good work! I hope to read more from you soon.
ReplyDeleteHey Megan! I just finished reading your story and I loved it. I thought it was so creatively written. This story took me back to my childhood when I would play dress up with princess clothes, those were the good days! After reading your story, I an interested to see what the original story it like. I loved reading your story, nice job!
ReplyDeleteHi Megan, I thought your story was beyond cute! You did a great job splitting up the narration so that the story flowed nicely and it did not look intimidating to read. Also, the message you are sending of be grateful for where you are in life is clear and communicated effectually near the end of the story and in your authors note as well! Overall great work transitioning The Stonecutter.
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