The Tale of the Ogre (a not true story)

As Rick and I were walking in the woods, we decided the roots of the tree were really an ogre's face. Of course there was a bit of debate about open or closed eyes, tongues sticking out, Jay Leno chin, and fist or foot under the cheek. It is also possible to see more than one face. Rick is going to post his own version of this at his http://lovinglifeineurope.blogspot.fr/ eventually.

Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was a handsome prince who lived in the land of Les Marecottes. It was a tiny land in the mountains. Although the prince was handsome, he knew it and he felt everyone should do whatever he wanted not because he was the prince but because he was so handsome. 

He married the beautiful Princess of Salvan, a land just down the mountain from Les Marecottes. 

Unlike the prince, she did not rely on her beauty but her good deeds, because she liked bringing pleasure to others. She was soon much beloved by the villagers of Les Marecottes for her all that she did: playing with their children, bringing the soup if they were sick, helping them with chores.

The handsome prince became very angry because he felt, and rightfully so, that his subjects loved his princess more than they loved him. Because even though she was beautiful, he was even more handsome than she was beautiful.

He issued a decree you will love me more than her, but no one obeyed.

Eventually he took it out on the princess and beat her badly. He told her never to help any of his subjects again.

A young woodsman in the village had become a good friend with the princess and she with him. They talked about ways to help the villagers who needed it. They found ways to make chores fun such as singing as they worked in the fields, or dancing down the street on a sunny day. 

He was very unhappy about the way she was treated by the prince.

His mother had magical powers and he went to her with his concerns.

"Never fear my son," she said. "If the prince hits his princess again I will turn him into the ogre he really is, but a special one. He will be the roots of a tree that must nourish that tree in contrast to how he didn't nourish his subjects."

That night when the princess came back carrying an empty pail which she had used to carry soup to feed an old woman who could no longer get out of bed, he was so angry that she hadn't obeyed him, that he raised his hand to hit her.

The curse took effect and he disappeared. 

People, when they were walking in the woods, noticed the face of the ogre in the tree roots, but they never associated him with the prince. And although they missed the prince, they were glad he was gone.

As for the ogre he hated how he looked and hated how his presence made the tree grow tall and strong while he was trapped at the bottom.

As for the princess she and the woodsman continued their kind deeds. 

(I bet you thought I'd make them a couple and they'd live happily ever after--they did live happily ever after but not as a couple but as great friends)