The Girl Who Would Be Beautiful

This is a simple tale about the quest for beauty.  It starts with some of the most beautiful words ever written – words that offer hope that everything will one day be as it should be…

Once upon a time in a land far away there lived a rich merchant and his family.  They were prosperous and had everything they wanted but still the daughter of the family was not happy.

“Father,” she said, “Why am I not beautiful?  We are rich and we can buy whatever we want.  I want something to make me beautiful.”

The father looked down at his daughter and saw her plain face filled with pain.  “I cannot give you an answer, child.  Go and speak to your mother.”

The daughter sought out her mother and pleaded her case.  “You are beautiful, Mother, as I want to be.”  Her mother looked at her daughter with eyes full of love and said. “You are already beautiful, my child.”  The daughter could only picture her face in the mirror and knew that she was not.  “Then I cannot give you an answer, child.  Go and speak to your grandmother”

On finding her grandmother the daughter again asked her question.  The wise old eyes looked at her granddaughter as she thought for a while.  “You are growing up, child.  I can see the beginnings of beauty in you.  Go and find the shepherd and he will show you where beauty lies.”

“A shepherd?  What can a shepherd know of beauty?” she thought to herself as her grandmother called for the shepherd.

Soon the daughter and the shepherd set off leading the sheep to the valley to feed for the day.  They sat quietly on the hill overlooking the soft green slopes dotted with white sheep.  It was lambing season and lambs were cavorting around their mothers. She laughed as they jumped over imaginary logs and chased each other in play.  She watched as the shepherd assisted in the birth of a lamb and cried as she saw it suckle for the first time.

Gradually the sun went down in a blaze of crimson and they led the sheep back to the pens for the night.  The sky was filled with diamonds lighting the night.

That night the daughter had a dream.   She dreamt of crimson sunsets and in them she saw the love shining from her mother and the clear light of wisdom in her grandmother’s eyes.

When she awoke in the morning the world looked different.  A strand of light wove through the curtains at her window and she could see floating dust motes enjoying the morning warmth.  She remembered the dancing sheep in her green valley and felt joyful.

She went to the mirror and looked at herself and saw that she looked different.  Her face had not changed but something in her eyes was new and fine.  She was happy and knew that one day she too would be beautiful.

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About the author

Anne Maybus is a creative writer and owner of Clever Streak, writing for small business.  Anne is also Editor of Cherry Mag.