Close-Minded
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twispiteficTitle: Close-Minded
Author: elisserion
Fandom: Feminist Fairytales
Word Count: 629
Inspiration: Chapter 16, The Oracle. The story is all about how the witch is so smart and sees through the con right away, which made me wonder how she would have reacted if it had turned out to be real after all.
Summary: The witch has already decided what she’ll see when she visits the Oracle.
The giant came back from the oracle peaceful and smiling for the first time. The dwarf came back walking easily, without any pain in his face. The prince returned glowing with excitement, speaking of a great king in a mysterious hall.
At last it was the witch's turn. She crept through the dark tunnels, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of life, until she came to a cavern. A small spring bubbled up from the ground.
A golden young man stood there with a bow in his hand and a quiver on his back, smiling at her with deep warmth.
"Who are you?" said the witch before he could greet her.
"I am Apollo, the god of this oracle."
The witch scoffed. "I'm sure you are."
"Some come here wishing to lay aside old sorrows, to find healing, to find peace. You come here wishing to know the truth, do you not? That is why I appear to you this way - "
"Cold reading, is it?" said the witch. "Tell me more. Tell me how it works." She searched the walls for hidden doors. She dipped a finger into the water suspiciously. She even touched and pawed at the so-called god, trying to figure out how he made himself appear to glow. "Teach me the art of prophecy."
"It is not something that is taught."
"You play god here and make money and keep your secrets to yourself? Teach me. I am your equal. I can learn."
The young man laughed, baffled. "It is not about money. We try to help people. And the pilgrims bring business to the area, which helps the innkeepers and the farmers who sell food. But I can only help people if they will allow me. You do not believe - I understand that - but belief is necessary to receive the gift of prophecy, and there are no tricks I will give you to use on other people."
"Isn't that just like a man?" the witch cried. "Just tell me how it works. What did you do to those other three men, to make them behave so? What did you show them, and how?"
The young man held out his arms in a slight shrug.
"Tell me! I already know it's not real. You have nothing to lose."
"But it is real," said the young man. He glowed brighter, his feet lifting from the floor, and he was so tall he reached the roof and the cavern was as bright as day.
"This is nothing but smoke and mirrors," shouted the witch. She hid her eyes from the light and curled into a ball, digging her fingers into her scalp. "You can't fool me! It's not real! It's not real!"
Apollo sighed.
"Very well," he said. "If this is what you wish."
A moment later, the light vanished, the cave filled with smoke, and the witch looked up. The young man had vanished, leaving in his place a huge mirror with two plain-looking priestesses.
"Here," said one of the priestesses. "Now look upon the truth you wish to see."
"That's more like it," said the witch, pleased. "I knew you'd see sense."
The priestesses made a few obscure sayings, which the witch interpreted as she pleased, and gave her a little silver medallion with a star. She left quite happy.
But her business as a witch failed nearly immediately, for her prophecies and her readings never convinced or even pleased anyone. Her customers questioned and argued with her, and more than once she got into legal trouble for her scams. She only found success when she occasionally slipped into honesty.
As for the giant, the dwarf, and the prince, they all went back to their homes and lived full and joyful lives.
Author: elisserion
Fandom: Feminist Fairytales
Word Count: 629
Inspiration: Chapter 16, The Oracle. The story is all about how the witch is so smart and sees through the con right away, which made me wonder how she would have reacted if it had turned out to be real after all.
Summary: The witch has already decided what she’ll see when she visits the Oracle.
The giant came back from the oracle peaceful and smiling for the first time. The dwarf came back walking easily, without any pain in his face. The prince returned glowing with excitement, speaking of a great king in a mysterious hall.
At last it was the witch's turn. She crept through the dark tunnels, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of life, until she came to a cavern. A small spring bubbled up from the ground.
A golden young man stood there with a bow in his hand and a quiver on his back, smiling at her with deep warmth.
"Who are you?" said the witch before he could greet her.
"I am Apollo, the god of this oracle."
The witch scoffed. "I'm sure you are."
"Some come here wishing to lay aside old sorrows, to find healing, to find peace. You come here wishing to know the truth, do you not? That is why I appear to you this way - "
"Cold reading, is it?" said the witch. "Tell me more. Tell me how it works." She searched the walls for hidden doors. She dipped a finger into the water suspiciously. She even touched and pawed at the so-called god, trying to figure out how he made himself appear to glow. "Teach me the art of prophecy."
"It is not something that is taught."
"You play god here and make money and keep your secrets to yourself? Teach me. I am your equal. I can learn."
The young man laughed, baffled. "It is not about money. We try to help people. And the pilgrims bring business to the area, which helps the innkeepers and the farmers who sell food. But I can only help people if they will allow me. You do not believe - I understand that - but belief is necessary to receive the gift of prophecy, and there are no tricks I will give you to use on other people."
"Isn't that just like a man?" the witch cried. "Just tell me how it works. What did you do to those other three men, to make them behave so? What did you show them, and how?"
The young man held out his arms in a slight shrug.
"Tell me! I already know it's not real. You have nothing to lose."
"But it is real," said the young man. He glowed brighter, his feet lifting from the floor, and he was so tall he reached the roof and the cavern was as bright as day.
"This is nothing but smoke and mirrors," shouted the witch. She hid her eyes from the light and curled into a ball, digging her fingers into her scalp. "You can't fool me! It's not real! It's not real!"
Apollo sighed.
"Very well," he said. "If this is what you wish."
A moment later, the light vanished, the cave filled with smoke, and the witch looked up. The young man had vanished, leaving in his place a huge mirror with two plain-looking priestesses.
"Here," said one of the priestesses. "Now look upon the truth you wish to see."
"That's more like it," said the witch, pleased. "I knew you'd see sense."
The priestesses made a few obscure sayings, which the witch interpreted as she pleased, and gave her a little silver medallion with a star. She left quite happy.
But her business as a witch failed nearly immediately, for her prophecies and her readings never convinced or even pleased anyone. Her customers questioned and argued with her, and more than once she got into legal trouble for her scams. She only found success when she occasionally slipped into honesty.
As for the giant, the dwarf, and the prince, they all went back to their homes and lived full and joyful lives.
