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“Catherine's Fate ”
(Sicily)

There was once a young girl who was smart, beautiful, and rich, with parents who loved her. One day while sitting in her garden, a strange woman approached her. Catherine was astonished and asked, “Who are you? How did you get past my guards?”

The woman smiled and turned to smell a yellow rose.

“What do you want?” asked Catherine.

The woman remained silent. Catherine was tempted to call for help but something about the woman intrigued her so she too remained silent, waiting for the woman to speak.

In time the woman said, “I am Fate. I have come to offer you a choice.”

“A choice?” asked Catherine. “What kind of choice?”

“It is your time of choosing. You must decide if you want to be happy while you are young and unhappy when you are old, or unhappy when you are young and happy when you are old. Choose one or the other. Your preference will be hon-ored.”

“These are not choices I wish to make,” said Catherine.

“Choose now or lose your opportunity.”

The woman’s intensity frightened Catherine. She called for her guards but none came. She tried to leave the garden but could not move. The woman smiled. “You cannot escape Fate, my dear. I ask you for the last time, do you want to be happy when you are young and unhappy when you are old, or do you prefer to be unhappy while you are young and happy when you are old?”

”Wrinkles and misery make poor companions, I choose to be unhappy when I am young and happy when I am old,” Catherine said reluctantly.

“So be it,” said the woman who then disappeared.

Soon after, one of Catherine’s serving women brought her a cool drink. “You look pale my lady, is something wrong?”

Looking around, Catherine saw that nothing had changed. “Perhaps I have just had a bad dream. Thank you for your kindness.” She sipped the refreshing liquid and tried to pretend that all was well.

For a few days, all was as it had always been, yet Catherine felt uneasy. She sensed something was amiss. Her fears proved true. Her father’s ships with all his wealth were lost at sea. Thieves attacked those defending the mansion, taking what was valuable, setting fire to the house as they left. Only Catherine survived, escaping with only the clothes on her back.

“Oh Fate, could you not have spared my parents? Surely they deserved better. They have done no harm...” Catherine begged and pleaded, but there was no response.

A servant who saw what had happened gave Catherine a few of her clothes and a basket of food. “Take these, Miss. You were good to me and my children and we have not forgotten your kindness.” As the woman was about to leave, she warned, “Remember, the world is not as you have known it. Be careful.” Catherine nodded, too grief-stricken to speak.

For many days she walked, wondering what to do and where to go. When she arrived in a large town Catherine decided to seek out a kind looking woman and ask for work. Up and down the streets she trudged, not seeing anyone she dared to ask. Just then, a well-dressed woman appeared in an open window. “Please good woman, I am the daughter of a wealthy man who lost his fortune. I seek work as a ladies maid. Although I have few skills save embroidery, I am willing to learn.”

“You have come at the right time. My serving woman left this morning. I will teach you what you need to know.”

And so for a time, Catherine was content. Her mistress was kind and patient. Perhaps, thought Catherine, I was merely meant to learn to serve. Perhaps all is now well. A few more days passed without incident.

One morning, her mistress said, “I leave this morning to visit with my sister. I will return tomorrow. Take good care of everything while I am gone.” No sooner had the woman left than Fate appeared.

“So my sweet Catherine, did you think to hide from me? Did you think that I forgot your choice?”

Catherine watched in horror as Fate smashed glasses, tore curtains, broke furniture, and slashed paintings. Sobbing, Catherine ran out of the house, too afraid and upset to stay. After she disappeared, Fate restored the house to its former condition. When the woman returned, she looked for Catherine. Not finding her she checked the whole house but nothing was missing. All she could do was wonder what had happened.

For seven years Fate followed Catherine, disrupting her life wherever she went, however she fled. Catherine learned to be observant and prepared for she could not predict when or how Fate would strike. She wondered how old she had to be before she was old enough to be happy.

On her travels in a remote village at the foot of a mountain, Catherine once again found employment and asked what her duties would be. She was surprised to her mistress say, “Every morning, I will need you to take a special plate of bread and cheese up the path which winds around and ends at the top of the mountain.”

Catherine could not hide her astonishment. “May I ask why?”

“Certainly. It is well that you know. You are bringing an offering to my Fate. I shudder to think what my life would be like were she not to receive this every morning. It was easier when I was younger. Now, each day the climb becomes more difficult. I have been worrying what would happen when I could no longer walk the steep path. I am happy for your service.”

“Your Fate?” asked Catherine.

“Yes,” said the woman. “Fate and I have had many encounters. My care of her takes care of me. Listen well. Tomorrow morning, when you approach the top of the mountain, you will smell a sweet scent. Follow your nose and it will lead you to the home of Fate. Knock three times. A door will open and a tall woman will stretch out her hand. Give her the plate and wait. She will soon return it to you. Bring it home and wash it carefully. Place it where you found it.”

“Oh,” said Catherine, looking unhappy and frightened.

The old woman asked, “What is wrong?

After telling her what had happened since Fate first appeared in her garden, Catherine asked, “Do you think it is possible that your Fate might help me find a way to please my Fate? I will do anything to appease her.”

“Be careful what you promise. Fate is a hard taskmaster. Still, when you have fed my Fate, and you feel the time is right, ask for her help. Do not beg. Be pleasant. Accept what happens without complaint.”

For seven days, Catherine fed the woman’s Fate. On the eighth day, she decided the time was right to ask for help. The tall woman who took the food answered, “Now is not the time to ask. When you return tomorrow, I will take you to her.” Catherine thanked her and gathered a bouquet of flowers which she laid in front of her door.

The next morning, after receiving the plate of bread and cheese, the tall woman took Catherine to meet her Fate. “Sister, here is one who begs an end to your torment. She looks deserving of a rest.”

Fate stared deep into Catherine’s eyes for a long time. It was all Catherine could do to meet her gaze, politely, without flinching. “Very well, my dear Catherine, here is a skein of silken thread. If you continue to take good care of it and me, we will treat you well.” Before Catherine could thank her, Fate disappeared. This time Catherine gathered two bouquets of flowers, laying them in front of each door.

All the way down the mountain Catherine tried to make sense of what had happened. Even her mistress was puzzled. “The thread looks ordinary to me but I advise you to follow Fate’s advice. Take good care of it and in time, we shall know its use.”

The next morning, after Catherine returned from the mountain, her mistress told her what she had heard. A proclamation had been issued. The King was to be married and there was no more silk thread of the right color. Without it the King’s wedding robes could not be finished. Anyone with silk thread the color of the royal robes was to bring it to the court. “Go, Catherine. I am sure your thread is the right color. Give it to him and you will be rewarded.”

When Catherine appeared before the King she noticed how handsome he was and thought it a pity he was soon to be married. “Your majesty, is this thread suitable for your purpose?”

The thread matched perfectly. “Bring the scales. You shall have gold equal to the weight of the skein.” The scales were brought in and the skein put on one side, gold on the other. But no matter how much gold was put on the scale, the skein weighed more. Exasperated, the King put his crown on the scale and immediately there was balance.

“Where did you get this thread?” asked the King.

Catherine told him all that had happened. The King listened, noticing her intelligence and beauty, the grace with which she spoke. “I have changed my mind. I want to marry you.”

And so it happened as Fate promised. Catherine lived to be a very old woman and each year was happier than the one before.

 

Excerpted from Dancing With Wonder: Self-Discovery Through Stories,
published by Champion Press.

There are many ways to create a story journey. The following four suggestions are meant to help you begin once you have paint that you can use with your fingers--at least 6 colors--red, brown, blue, green, black and yellow-- and non-hardening clay. It's nice to work with two or three people so points of view can be shared, but if you are by yourself, read aloud, or tell yourself the story, and begin exploring.

Bargains Unforeseen Consequences Deriving Meaning from What Happens Developing Inner Resources

For further information, please email Nancy at: Nancy@NancyKingStories.com
All material copyright © Nancy King 2010. Updated February 2010.