My friend Doble and I are collaborating on a fairytale. And by “are” I mean “were when right out of college, then she left the country to get her masters and we put it on pause, now she’s back and we’re starting it up again, but soon she’ll be leaving to get a doctorate and who knows.” It’s just for fun for us, but involves classic, modern, and lesser-known fairytales, fables, and mythology. My current favorite character is the Pied Piper, but I’m pretty sure the Dread Pirate Roberts or Mnemosyne will grow on me. Anyhow, today I thought I’d share Apollo’s prophecy we created to kickstart the epic quest. Enjoy!
When the ciphers gather
where Beauty sleeps eternal,
the mortal fate of one
fulfills the balance of favor.
Resist temptation,
and consult the old woman under the oak
before the ocean’s crossing.
By turning around here,
one can walk back, safely,
and will lose no face.
But those who continue the quest,
that which they seek, the Book of Spells,
grants the possessor what is requisite.
When legend is obtained,
the quest reaches its end,
and the world will pay the price.
***Note: A brief portion of the prophecy is a quote from Neil Gaiman’s writing. We know! Neil Gaiman is a part of the legend in our story. No plagiarism is intended (I don’t imagine anyone could successfully steal Neil Gaiman’s work), as this story is just for funsies for us, and all of that portion is credited to his writing within our story. ***
