This is a short retelling of Tatterhood a Norwegian fairy tale.
In a kingdom long ago, a queen longed for a child. An old beggar woman gave her two flowers: one beautiful, one wilted, and said, “Eat these.” But she warned, only to eat one. The queen, however, ate both.
Soon, she gave birth to two daughters. The first rode a goat, wielded a wooden spoon, and was wild and unkempt – she was Tatterhood. The second was gentle and beautiful.
One New Year’s Eve, when the kingdom was overrun by trolls, Tatterhood bravely rode out to fight them. “Stay inside!” she warned her sister. But her sister, curious, peeked out, and a troll swapped her head with a calf’s.
Seeing her sister’s plight, Tatterhood declared, “I shall restore your head, but you must not speak a word of what you see.”
Together, they sailed to a land infested with witches and trolls. Tatterhood battled fiercely. “Worry not, sister,” she shouted amidst the clash and clamor. “Our bond is stronger than their dark magic!”
Finally, after a fierce battle, Tatterhood retrieved her sister’s head. True to her word, her sister remained silent about the ordeal.
They then sailed to another kingdom. The king and his son, the prince, greeted them. The prince was struck by the beauty of the silent sister, but equally intrigued by Tatterhood’s wild nature.
“Why do you always ride that goat and carry a spoon?” the prince asked Tatterhood.
“This is who I am,” Tatterhood replied proudly.
But the prince saw her true spirit. “And I admire your bravery and heart,” he said.
To everyone’s surprise, the prince asked for Tatterhood’s hand in marriage. As he did, Tatterhood transformed into a beautiful maiden, as lovely as her sister.
“Your love has shown me that I can be both strong and fair,” Tatterhood said to the prince.
The two sisters married the prince and his brother, and they all returned to their kingdom, where they ruled with courage and kindness, reminding everyone that true beauty lies within.
Also Read: East of the Sun and West of the Moon or Riquet with the Tuft
