Sarah Kueper

“The Crystal Coffin” - The Illustrated Story

“The Crystal Coffin” - A twist on the Brothers Grimm Fairytale “The Glass Coffin”Once upon a time, a young tailoress becomes lost in the forest while collecting dye materials for her workshop. As night falls, she sees a glowing light and follows it to a small cottage. An elderly man lived there, and she begs him to allow her to stay the night. He reluctantly agrees and she sleeps restlessly, anxious to return to her village. In the morning, she wakes to the sounds of struggle in the woods. She runs outside and sees a great white stag fighting a horned and scaley creature. The great stag scares away the creature and approaches the tailoress, bowing its head. She could tell the great stag wished for her to follow it. She mounts the great stag, and they journey off into the woods. As they travel deeper into the woods, the tailoress notices how quiet the forest is. There are no animals, and the forest is dark even though it is morning. They reach a stone wall, covered in moss and vines. The stag reveals a door in the wall and motions for the tailoress to enter. Inside, a voice asks the girl to stand upon a stone which would grant her good fortune if she was pure at heart. The tailoress stands on the stone, and it sinks into the ground, revealing a great hall. The Tailoress enters the great hall. The hall appeared to be sealed off for many years and dust had collected onto the many expensive-looking treasures inside. The tailoress notices a tiny village held inside of a glass container. The voice speaks to her again, directing her to investigate a crystal coffin. Inside lay a female warrior, sleeping within the crystal coffin. The voice asked her to free the warrior, and she did so.The warrior told her story: she was the daughter of a powerful king, and after the passing of her parents, she was raised by her brother. One day, a traveler stayed the night and used his magic to capture her and persuade her to marry him. She repelled his magic and refused him. In an act of revenge for refusing him, the evil wizard imprisoned her in the crystal coffin and enchanted the lands around them. The enchantment cursed the forest and trapped her village inside a glass container with her inside this hall. The evil wizard had also cursed her brother and transformed him into a stag, leaving him helpless until he could find someone pure of heart to help free them. The tailoress and the warrior sister emerge from the enchanted hall and find the stag had transformed back into her brother. Before they could be reunited, the vile creature he had scared off before had returned, towering over them. The creature reveals itself to be the evil wizard that enchanted the lands as revenge. The warrior sister draws her blade and battles the evil creature, defeating it at last. The enchantment on the surrounding lands lifts, the village is freed, and the sister and brother are reunited.