Brenda Baker

Once upon a time in a far, faraway land there lived two little princesses. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia lived in a castle with their mommy the queen and their daddy the king. Berry the magical strawberry cow lived in a house near the castle.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia loved strawberry milk. So Berry made sure to give them a glass every day. Our two little princesses loved visiting Berry’s tiny house in the mornings.

Berry the magical cow was not like the other cows who lived at the castle. Berry was much smaller than all the other cows and preferred to stand upright. She also loved to play dress up with Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia.

Princess Marjorie, Princess Sylvia and Berry spent each morning playing games and laughing at each other’s jokes. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia loved Berry and could not wish for a better friend in all the land.

On a sunny morning in the middle of another busy growing season, our two little princesses were skipping to Berry’s house. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia practiced telling each other the jokes they wanted to tell their best friend.

“What did the black cat say to the sheep?” said Princess Marjorie.

Princess Sylvia stopped to think. When several moments had passed, she shook her head. “What did the black cat say?” Princess Sylvia said at last.

“Meow, meow, the black cat said to the sheep,” said Princess Marjorie with a giggle. “Meow, meow. Cause that be what cats say.”

“I have one too,” said Princess Sylvia. “Why did the black cat come home with four green shoes?”

It was Princess Marjorie’s turn to stop and think. Then like her little sister, Princess Marjorie shook her head. “I give up. Why did the black cat come home with four green shoes?”

“Because the shoemaker ran out of brown shoes,” said Princess Sylvia.

The two little princesses laughed merrily and skipped all the way to Berry’s house. Berry always waited at the door for her two best friends. But Berry was not at the door this morning when they skipped past the apple tree. The two little princesses looked at each other in surprise.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia could not remember a single morning that Berry did not smile and wave to them from her doorway. No matter the weather, Berry was always waiting. Was Berry ill? The two little princesses ran to Berry’s tiny house. If Berry was sick, they would care for her and get her some fresh hay and carrots.

The kitchen inside Berry’s house was empty. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia hurried to the bedroom next. But it too was empty. Our two little princesses looked at each other in confusion. Where could Berry be?

“Maybe she went to the market to buy some candles,” Princess Sylvia said hopefully. “Berry has just three candles left. And Berry loves candles.”

So Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia ran to get their horses from the stable. Then the two little princesses galloped all the way to the candlemaker’s shop in market square. Once inside the shop, our two little princesses looked to see if Berry was anywhere in sight.

But save for an elderly woman in a green dress, the shop was empty. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia hurried over to the candlemaker. Mr. Waxler was making a small yellow candle. He smiled at the two little princesses.

“Please, kind sir. Have ye seen our friend, Berry?” Princess Marjorie asked the candlemaker.

Mr. Waxler shook his head. “I made five red candles especially for Berry. Red reminds her of strawberries. I was expecting her this morning, but she has yet to pick them up. I’ve never known Berry to be late.”

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia thanked the kind candlemaker and hurried back to their horses.

“Where else might Berry go?” Princess Sylvia asked her sister.

The two little princesses thought for a moment. Princess Sylvia then looked at Princess Marjorie with the brightest of smiles. “Berry wanted to make strawberry tartes for our walk tomorrow. Maybe she went to see the miller for more flour.”

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia always passed by the mill on their way to town. It was the only building alongside the river outside of Longbridge. Without a moment’s delay, our two little princesses rode to the mill.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia tied their horses to a nearby tree and hurried inside the mill. Neither Princess Marjorie nor Princess Sylvia knew what the miller looked like, so they asked a kind-looking woman. The kind woman brought them to where the miller was filling a large sack with flour. Princess Sylvia asked the miller if he had seen their friend.

“Berry was here just after dawn. She picked up her sack of flour and left straight away. I hope ye find her well,” said the miller.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia thanked the kind miller and went to retrieve their horses once more.

The two little princesses were untying their horses when Princess Marjorie spotted Berry’s hat and sack of flour next to the river. Berry loved her blue hat and never left home without it. Our two little princesses ran down to the river. Princess Sylvia picked up the hat and studied it in bewilderment.

“Berry would never leave her hat behind,” said Princess Marjorie.

The two little princesses searched the river for Berry. A dark blue fish rose from the water in front of them. Upon the fish’s head, there was a silver horn. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia had never seen such a big or strange-looking fish before.

“Pleased to meet ye,” said the blue fish with green eyes. “My name be Junara.”

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia stared in surprise. They had never met a talking fish before. Truth be told as it must, our two little princesses didn’t know fish could speak at all.

“What may I call ye,” asked Junara next.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia introduced themselves and asked Junara if she had seen a magical strawberry cow who could also talk.

Junara nodded her head. “Your friend was taken by the river monster. He will present your friend as a gift to his daughter. But fear not. I gave your friend magical lungs to breathe underwater.”

The two little princesses stared in despair, for Berry was their best friend in all the land. And Berry was a cow. She wasn’t a fish. Cows lived on farms and castle grounds. Cows didn’t live in rivers. Cows had legs. And last our two little princesses checked, cows didn’t have fins.

“Please, Miss Junara,” implored Princess Sylvia. “Can you help us rescue our friend from the river monster?”

Junara looked at the two little princesses for a moment. “I will need a gift from each of ye for the monster’s daughter in exchange for your friend,” said she at last.

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia nodded happily and went to find their gifts for the monster’s daughter. They returned shortly thereafter with one gift each. Princess Marjorie’s hands overflowed with freshly picked elderberries. Princess Sylvia held up her crown for presentation.

Junara glanced at the gifts and shook her head in disapproval. “River monsters have no use for elderberries and crowns. They are already kings and queens of the rivers.”

Our two little princesses thus rode back to the castle at full gallop. Inside the castle, they spotted their parents. The king and queen were leaving for Starbridge. Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia were not permitted to leave the castle without Berry. But Berry was in trouble and needed their help.

So our two little princesses said their farewells before the king and queen could ask any questions, then ran to their chamber fast as their feet would go. Princess Marjorie found her favourite book and tucked it inside her leather pouch. Princess Sylvia hugged her favourite doll before placing it inside her pouch.

Upon their return to the river, Junara smiled in approval. “I see the value of each gift in your eyes, little ones. It shines bright as the sun above. Now I see the true value of your friend. The monster’s daughter will be pleased with such worthy gifts.”

Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia placed their pouches over Junara’s horn. Junara swam upstream and disappeared. Our two little princesses waited by the river. And then they waited some more.

Then, after what seemed like days, Junara suddenly appeared with Berry swimming happily beside her. Berry waved to Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia, then swam past Junara fast as she could. Berry climbed onto the riverbank and shook herself dry.

Our two little princesses ran to hug Berry. To Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia, Berry’s friendship was worth more than a thousand pretty gifts. And no gift more precious could ever replace their best friend in all the land. For Princess Marjorie and Princess Sylvia loved Berry with all their heart.

A story for Marjorie and Sylvia, my two bright and beautiful little princesses.