When a new spring came the gentleman
married again. His new wife was a beautiful woman, with black hair and brown
eyes. Aurora, however, did not like her new stepmother. There was something
about her that she didn’t like. She was right to dislike her because the truth
was she was actually an evil witch. But no one, not even the gentleman knew
that yet.
Sometime later the gentleman died
from a terrible illness, leaving Aurora to be raised by her stepmother. It was
the death of her father when Aurora found out that her stepmother was an evil
woman. While he was alive she behaved differently, but now she was allowed to
act as she wanted. The stepmother was cruel to Aurora; she abused her and made
her a servant. Aurora was unhappy; first she loses her mother as a baby, next
she loses her father fourteen years later and now she has become a servant of a
cruel woman.
However Aurora was not completely
alone. She had a best friend and neighbour named Clouse. Clouse had been
Aurora’s best friend ever since they were small children and was always with
her whenever she was alone and unhappy. He even helped her with some of the
chores that she had to do every day. With Clouse around Aurora was always
cheerful, even though she was now living a miserable life.
One day, sometime after Aurora turned
sixteen, the stepmother would not stop gazing at Aurora. Usually when Aurora
was around she would just pretend that she wasn’t there but today all she did
was stare at her. Aurora felt nervous and frightened having her stepmother just
stare at her. That evening she talked to Clouse about it. “I must say I do find
that strange” Clouse said “she only looks at you when she’s giving you orders”.
“I know Clouse” said Aurora “I’m
really scared about that and her eyes show a really cold look”.
“How about this” asked Clouse “tomorrow
I’ll keep watch on what she is doing”.
“If you’re going to do that Clouse do be
careful” said Aurora “my stepmother hates it when you look after me”.
“Don’t worry Aurora” said Clouse,
holding her close to him, “it will be all right”.
The next day Aurora was doing her
chores as usual, but just like yesterday her stepmother was watching her the
whole time.
“Is there something you want to say
to me stepmother?” asked Aurora “you have been staring at me all morning”.
“Yes there is actually” the stepmother
said. She brought Aurora over to her mirror. “As you can see in this mirror I
am very beautiful but it also shows how pretty you are. Your golden hair shines
in the sun and your blue eyes are like sapphires. Everyone around here has said
that you have grown into a beautiful woman. So tell me, what do you think of my
beauty? And don’t lie or else”.
“Alright stepmother I’ll tell you
what I think” said Aurora “you are beautiful on the outside, but on the inside
you are filled with coldness and cruelty. Therefore I call you an ugly person”.
The stepmother was in rage by that
comment and was just about to strike Aurora, when the door was kicked open. It
was Clouse! Clouse had watched everything from the window and kicked the door
open to rescue Aurora. He grabbed Aurora and both of them ran away from the
house into a forest.
“I knew there was something I didn’t
like about her” said Aurora, when they finally stopped running, “what can we
do?”
“There is a cottage in the middle of
this forest” said Clouse “my father and I used to go there every summer. You
will be safe there”.
“But what are you going to do?” asked
Aurora.
“I must go back home and warn my
father about how evil your stepmother is” answered Clouse “it is you she’s
after. I will be alright”. Clouse’s father was the captain of the police and
Clouse was his assistant.
Clouse took Aurora to the cottage. It
was a small, pretty, white, cottage, with flowers growing outside. A little
stream, with a bridge, was near it. Aurora found the cottage adorable and fell
in love with it. Clouse found the key to the cottage under the mat and unlocked
the door. Inside all the furniture was covered with sheets and there was dust
everywhere.
“I’m sorry that it’s a mess in here”
said Clouse.
“Don’t worry Clouse” said Aurora “all
this place needs is a good tidying up and then it will be good as new”.
“I have to leave now” said Clouse
“but I’ll come and fetch you after dealing with your stepmother I promise”.
Then he left.
After Clouse left, Aurora set to work
on cleaning the cottage. She didn’t mind having to do all the cleaning alone
because it was just like home, only smaller. First of all she filled three
buckets of water from the stream. Next she took all the sheets off all the
furniture. It took all the rest of the afternoon to clean the entire cottage,
but at last the cleaning was all done. It was night time by then, so Aurora
went to bed.
The next day Aurora was outside
getting some water from the stream. Suddenly she heard a rustling noise coming
from a bush. She put down the bucket and peeked behind the bush. What she found
behind the bush was a child, a little boy around six years old and looking
completely hungry. Aurora picked the boy up and carried him into the cottage.
Then she placed him into bed and fixed some soup for lunch. The smell of the
soup woke the boy up.
“Are you awake now” asked Aurora, who
came to see how he was doing.
“Where am I” the boy asked.
“You are at my cottage” Aurora
answered “you collapsed into a bush, so I brought you in here. I have made some
soup, would you like some?”
“Yes please” said the boy.
While they were eating the soup, the
boy told Aurora his story. “My name is Benjamin and I am now an orphan. My
father died when I was a baby and my mother became sick after I turned six a
few weeks ago. Then my mother died a few days ago, now I have no home or
family”. He burst into tears. Aurora pulled Benjamin into a hug and hushed him.
“Benjamin” she said “I have no family either”. “You don’t?” said Benjamin, who
started to calm down. “My parents are in heaven just like yours are” said
Aurora “how about staying with me and become my son?” Benjamin could not
believe what he heard. “You mean it?” he asked. “Yes, my son” Aurora answered.
Benjamin cried tears of happiness in Aurora’s arms; they were now mother and
son.
So Benjamin stayed with Aurora in the
cottage and both of them were happy together. Aurora loved and cared for
Benjamin as if he was her own son and Benjamin loved Aurora as if she was his
real mother. Aurora felt happy with Benjamin, but she missed Clouse. Benjamin
noticed that his mother looked a bit unhappy most of the time, so he asked her
what was wrong. Aurora explained to Benjamin about her friend Clouse and how he
helped her run away from her wicked stepmother. Aurora had told Benjamin before
about her father’s death and how cruel her stepmother was. Benjamin could guess
that his mother missed Clouse and wished he could do something to cheer her up,
but he didn’t know how.
The next day Benjamin was outside in
the forest picking some flowers to cheer Aurora up. While he was still picking
some, a man walked up to him. Benjamin looked at him in confusion; he had never
met this man before nor did he know who he was.
“Excuse me little boy” the man said
“but do you know a young girl named Aurora?”
“Are you her friend Clouse?” asked
Benjamin.
“Yes I am” said Clouse “I have come
here to pick Aurora up and take her home”.
“Hooray” cheered Benjamin “mother has
been waiting for you all this time. Now she will be happy again”.
“Wait, did you just call Aurora
mother?” asked Clouse in confusion.
Benjamin explained to Clouse that his
real mother was dead and that Aurora had been his new mother ever since. Clouse
understood. Benjamin grabbed Clouse’s hand and dragged him back to the cottage.
When they got back to the cottage Benjamin let go of Clouse’s hand and ran into
the cottage telling Aurora to come out. When Aurora did come outside she couldn’t
believe her eyes.
“Clouse!” gasped Aurora, she ran into
his arms.
“I’m sorry I took so long” said
Clouse, returning her hug, “but you won’t believe what happened. When I told
both my father and the police how cruel your stepmother was they went straight
to your house to arrest her. After we got there we found out that she was
actually an evil witch. What was more shocking was that she tricked your father
into marrying her for his money”.
“I knew there was something I didn’t
like about her” said Aurora.
“You won’t have to worry about her
anymore” said Clouse “she has been burnt to the stake, so you are now free from
her”.
Benjamin, who heard everything, was
happy for Aurora. But he was worried that now Clouse was here, Aurora would
leave him out. Clouse walked over to Benjamin and picked him up. “Thank you
Benjamin” said Clouse “Aurora, Benjamin has told me about being your adoptive
child and I agree to have you as my adoptive son too”. Benjamin couldn’t believe
it and hugged Clouse in happiness. Clouse and Aurora both hugged Benjamin back.
And so Aurora and Clouse moved back
to her house in the town and became husband and wife. Benjamin became their
adoptive son and they lived happily together for many years.
