Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Metamorphosis: The Fairy Ring

Jonathon was playing hooky again today even though this would make his mother very angry if she found out. He went to the woods behind the school and followed the trail he knew would lead him to the stream that ran there. He walked upstream for a bit until he came to a big yew and Jonathon wondered how far into the woods he could see from the top of it. Much like a monkey, he scampered right to the top of the big old tree that seemed to be made just for climbing. From his perch in the crest, he was able to see a tree even taller than the one he had climbed. It didn't look too far away and with his curiosity peaked he decided to investigate.

There was no trail in the direction toward this bigger tree and the going was lot harder, as he went around brambles and over rocks, he soon lost his way. Not only was Jonathon so lost that he had no idea if he was heading north or south he was now so tired he wasn't sure if he knew up from down. After fighting his way through a particularly rough patch of undergrowth, he found himself in a wonderful little glen.

The tiny field was filled with sweet clover and yet it appeared to be ringed with dandy lions with their fuzzy heads just waiting to blown to the winds by a young lad. It was such a delightful place and as Jonathon was so tired, he just lay down in this bed of clover to rest. This would be the perfect life he thought, no school, no chores, and no mother telling him to use the right fork at dinner. Yes, he thought if I had my way I'd live in this forest forever and my life would be perfect. Poor lad, if he had only known that these thoughts and dreams were not his own but had been placed in his head by fairies, he would not have let himself fall asleep but alas sleep he did. For Jonathon had not just wandered into any old glen, oh no he had discovered a magical fairy ring, grown to entice young lads just like him as he was soon to discover.

Jonathon awoke with a start with a mass of something covering his face but as he pulled it off, he found that it was hair growing on him. He felt so different, he could see that he was no longer a boy but what had he become he did not know.
"Jotnar, Jotnar wake up you lazy sot, mother is hungry and she wants you to go find her something to eat. Oh, and don't bring me another Englishman, they're too soft. Your mother wants something that crunches when she bites into it, an Irishman, yes that's what I want go find me an Irishman. You're such a lazy bog you tire me out, I'm going back to the cave, but don't you dare keep me waiting"
What was happening to him, this monster who was calling itself his mother was, wait did that mean that he too was now a monster? He took stock as he looked upon his body; he now had huge with arms as large as tree trunks and covered in hair. Just what had he become, he had no idea, but he was sure he didn't like it. He felt a stirring on his shoulder and a slight tickle in his ear,
"But dear Johnny boy how can ye be unhappy, it's what ye wished for, ye wanted to be a creature of the forest."
"Who are you and what have you done to me?"
"Who am I, well I just happen to be the fairy who built the ring ye lay in, and as for ye I just traded places with ye and that slag's son. Jotnar is about now sitting down to tea with mother dear and wondering why she doesn't like the way he stirs his cup."
"But, but, what have you turned me into, what have I become?"
"You young lad are now a troll, you can laze away the day in the woods, you don't have to study, or bathe and you can eat with your bare hands. The only thing you have to worry about is finding your new mother a human or two to eat, well and maybe one for yourself as well."

We will leave this confused young troll as he begins his search for a bony Irishman to ease his mother's hunger for this would be a meal I'm sure I wouldn't want to witness. Let us take Jonathon's or should I say Jotnar's fate as a warning to us all, learn to appreciate the good things in your life and don't dwell on the bad parts. However, most importantly, never, never, lay down to take a nap in a fairy ring.

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