"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"
"You are the one my queen, you are the one!"
A broad smile spread across the face of witch. Satisfied by her beauty, she set out for a walk across the city. She opened the big metal gate of castle and peeked outside. It was raining cats and dogs outside. All the ignorant humans were running wild, running from the cats and dogs. It was one such moment when the witch failed to understand who were the real animals, these cats and dogs; or the silly humans.
The witch started down the park road, watching the comic scene unfold before her, though she didn't have to worry about any of those animals. All the trees bowed for her, shielding her from the raining cats and dogs, and the branches of those trees pulled away all the stupid humans who veered towards her.
The aroma of fresh coffee hit her as she neared her favorite café. It was the only café in the city which made her favorite vegetable coffee.
"Your usual miss?" the waitress asked.
The witch nodded and the waitress quickly got to work. The vegetables – carrot, eggplant, radish, potato and onion – were already chopped in precise small round pieces. She fried them in a pinch of oil and added the three kinds of chili powder and some pepper for taste. As soon as the vegetables changed their color to light brown, the waitress added goat's milk in the pan. Finally she poured all the contents in a cup, added dark coffee beans to it, and the special vegetable coffee was ready. She made a cute smiley with horns on it, and delivered the ordered to the witch.
"Hmm...it smells beautiful darling, thank you so much," the complimented her efforts.
This girl was the only human in this weird city that she loved; the girl and her amazing vegetable coffee. She was about to take her first sip, when a voice interrupted her.
"It indeed smells wonderful," said a young man sitting behind her, "can I have some as well?"
The waitress was surprised at this request. This was definitely the first time anyone other than the lady had asked for that coffee. Before she could react anything, the witch spoke up.
"I'm not sure you will like the taste though," she said with a concern in her voice, "why don't try a sip first?"
The witch offered her cup to the young man. He stared at her with curious eyes. There was an uncomfortable silence for some time before the man broke it.
"You are not trying to flirt with me, are you?"
Now this was a first for the witch as well. Usually people lost themselves in her eyes, they would be enticed by her charms, do the things she asked them to; but this man was the first to ask something back.
"Umm...no, no, definitely not," she replied a bit befuddled.
"Good then," he said taking the cup from her hand, "because if you are, then I got to warn you that your charms won't work on me."
It the witch was surprised before, this thing hurt her pride now. She was the most beautiful woman in the whole land and the guy dares to say something like this.
"You seem to new in the city. Maybe that's why you don't know that there is no woman in this city who looks better than me," she said holding her head high.
"Beauty is not just in the looks my lady, beauty has to be here," he replied pointing to his brain, "I measure beauty by the wits; and not just by the looks."
Oh! You arrogant young man, the witch thought, I will teach you a lesson; I'll make you fall in love with me. It was a battle to regain her lost pride now.
"Ask me anything then. Allow me to prove my wit."
A faint smile crossed the man's lips. There was no fear of losing on his face, nothing to show that he was regretting for saying the things he did. He didn't even seem to make an effort to think of a question for her. It seemed like the question came right from his heart.
"Answer a simple riddle than my lady...
What is the one thing that woman can rip apart, and walk with pride doing that?"
Witch thought for some time, played with many answers in her mind, but none seem to be solving the riddle. She looked over at the waitress for some help, but even she shook her head. What could it be, someone's clothes? a watermelon?
After many silent minutes and another cup of her favorite coffee, she finally decided to give up.
"I give up young man," she said defeated.
The young man didn't say anything, not even show any joy of his victory. He just stood up and started to walk towards the door. She had rejected many a man, played with emotions of many; but this was the first man to show his back to her like that.
The young man had almost reached the door, when he turned back to her.
"The answer's HEART, my lady, a man's heart.
"When the beauty is not in your mind, the looks make you proud. And that pride consumes you so much, that you can rip apart a man's heart and yet not feel guilty about it."
And just like that, the young man left leaving behind a crushed witch.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"
That question was never repeated in her castle again.
***
Anyone want to try the witch's favorite coffee?
YOU ARE READING
365 DAYS 365 TALES
Random"Every day has its own story" Yes, every day of the year 2016 is going to have a story. We will bring smile on your lips, We will bring tears in your eyes, We will make you sequel in joy, We will make you mourn and cry. You will travel to the...
