Diamonds and Toads

for 's Fairy Tale Contest~!

many many maaaany hours on photoshop (pen tool is my new love toy XD). a cream and gold floral print with white lace and petticoat/underdress. the print has pearls sewn into the skirt.
art and design(c)Drowning-Comic 2010


the fairy tale the design is based on:

Once upon a time, there was a lovely girl who lived in a cottage in the woods. She was fair, and sweet, and soft spoken, and was the very temper and image of her late Father. Her sister, on the other hand, was of very sour disposition, her features all the pointed and pinched likeness of their Mother. And unlike their Father, this sister was spoiled and haughty, as taught by their Mother. The mother doted on the spoiled child in every way she could, and in anger and jealousy of the good daughter, banished the poor girl to eat her meals alone in the kitchen and to perform all the chores, not the least of which was fetching a large pail of water from a well in the thickest portion of the woods, and very far from the cottage.

One day, as the good child was filling her pail, an old crone came into the clearing, and asked to take a drink.

“Of course, Grandmother,” the child replied respectfully, and even held the pail steady so the old woman might drink more easily. when she had finished her drink, the crone suddenly changed into a beautiful faerie. She had disguised herself to
see how far the girl’s kindness might go, and told the child she should be given a gift in exchange.

“Next when you speak and forever more, your words will take the form of the goodness in you.”
And with that, the fae disappeared.

Well the girl ran home as quick as her feet could carry her. Her mother scolded her fiercely for being late, and returning with no water in the pail.

“I am so sorry, good Mother,” the girl said, “but i have had a most strange and wonderful story at the well.” and as she spoke, three pearls, two flowers, and two diamonds spilled from her mouth to the floor. The spoiled sister snatched at them greedily, staring astonishment at the mother.

“How are you come by this amazing gift, girl?” the mother asked more sweetly than she had ever spoken to her daughter. And as the child retold the tale, more and more gems, gold, and flowers came until she was buried to her ankles in a pile by the finish of it all.

The mother turned to her favored daughter, saying “tomorrow, you will fetch the water, and when the old crone asks, you will oblige decently. Then you may have the same gift.”

“Why yes, Mother! Fancy me going and fetching a heavy pail of water, indeed!”

“You shall, else I’ll turn you out!”

And with that, the mother beat the good child, and sent the weeping girl to bed without supper.

The next day, the spoiled sister trudged to the well, carrying the pail and grumbling the whole while. Not long after she reached the well, a fair lady in courtly dress and manner approached, asking for a drink from the girl’s pail. This was, in fact, the faerie, only now disguised to see how far the girl’s rudeness might go.

“Am I to shine your shoes and bow to your every silly whim as well, Lady? I was not sent on this miserable errand to serve the likes of you,” and with that, she spat at the fae’s feet.

In an instant, the Courtier changed to a faerie, and outraged, pointed, saying to the spoiled child,

“For your gift, you shall find your words come ever as wretched and loathed as your temper!”

And the faerie disappeared.

The daughter ran home as quickly as she could, frightened. When she reached the cottage, she found that her sister had been turned out by the mother, who expected that she was of no use now that her favorite would return with the same gift. The mother held the girl’s hands in her own,

“Speak to me, my daughter! What treasures? Show me!”

The daughter hesitated but a moment, before asking sheepishly, “what should I say mother?”

At her words, two slimy toads and three dark, slithering vipers fell from her mouth to the floor. The mother shrieked in terror, demanding to know what had become of the child. But as the girl spoke, more and more toads and snakes slipped from her lips, and soon drove her mother out of the house in fright. Angered, the girl chased after her, and not a few days later, both died starving and lost on the edge of the woods.

In the meanwhile, the good child was weeping by the edge of the wood nearest the kingdom’s castle. The prince happened by, and asked the girl what such a fair maid had to cry of? He stared in amazement as gems, gold, and flowers of brilliant color fell from her mouth as she told the tale of the faerie and her mother and sister’s cruelty. Feeling pity for the girl, and being entranced by her beauty and tenderness, the prince returned to the castle with her, and soon after, they were married.