The Swan Queen  

Once there was a farmer who lived with his wife and two children - a son, Bill, and a daughter, Elsa. Thhe farmer was neither very rich nor very poor. But he had a small farm, a few cattle and a few hens. Bill and Elsa helped their parents in their work on the farm. They also attended school in a nearby village. They all loved each other and lived happily.
During one harvesting season, Bill, Elsa and their parents were working in the field. The sun was very hot. Bill, who was gathering wheat ears near his mother saw that his mother was suddenly looking ill. He immediately called his father. Elsa and her father came running.
Their mother said, "I think it was the hot sun which affected me. I shall be alright if I take a little rest in the shade. Don't worry." Till evening their mother lay under the tree. When day's work in the field was done, she was brought home and was asked to take rest in the bed.
Elsa and Bill themselves prepared dinner for the family to enable their mother to take rest. They all hoped that she would be well by the next morning. But she was rather more sick. She did not leave the bed. It was not like usual. She was seriously ill this time. The doctor was called in, but could not identify the disease. She appeared to be suffering from some strange disease.
Elsa stopped going to the farm as she was needed to look after her ill mother and do the household work. The home was disturbed and everyone looked worried. One day, when Elsa was in the kitchen, Bill came running. he said, "Elsa! I have learnt from my friends that there is a wise woman living in the hills. They think she will cure our mother."
"Did you ask your friends where that wise woman lives?" asked Elsa.
"Yes. How is it if we go to her tomorrow morning?" said Bill.
The next morning both Bill and Elsa went out to see the wise woman. After a long steep climb, Bill and Elsa reached the old woman's house and found that the steps that lead to the ramshackle house were broken and shaky. As soon as they tried to climb the stairs, two dreadful dogs came running out of the front door. They were barking. The children were frightened and unable to move any further. Then Bill had an idea and he called out loudly, "Wise woman! We have come to meet you. It is very urgent. Let us come in and see you."
The old woman came out and told her dogs to be quiet and asked the children to come in. Bill and Elsa climbed the steps with great caution. When they reached inside the house, they found her very kind. She listened patiently to all that Bill and Elsa said.
"Certainly your mother is very ill," said the old wise woman. Then Elsa said, "Do you know the ailment our mother is suffering from? Can you cure her?" The wise woman kept quiet for some time and then said, "I know what is wrong with your mother and I can help her get well. But, unfortunately, the medicine required to treat her is not available here. If you can go to another hill and get the herb to prepare medicine, your mother will recover."
"We shall go anywhere you say," said Bill and Elsa. They took instructions from her and returned home to seek permission from their father. The father was not prepared to put his children in danger. He was not quite sure if they would succeed in their adventure. But he was also very much worried about his wife's illness. When Bill and Elsa assured him again and again that they would be very careful, he had to agree.
Bill and Elsa ate their breakfast quite early next morning and set out on their journey. They reached the mouth of the cave which would leave them to the foot of the mountain of the swan queen. They entered into the cave without any fear. They were very cautious. inside the cave, the floor was very slippery. At some places, it was very high and at others it was very low. As they walked ahead, the cave became darker and darker. Then they saw light and after a few hours they were at the end of the cave.
Out of the cave, Bill and Elsa saw a direction sign in the form of a jigsaw puzzle. It directed towards a road. They were puzzled as there was no other road.
Bill and Elsa had no other choice but to take the only road without knowing where it led. The road took them to the gate of a large estate. The guard on duty told Bill and Elsa that they could not enter the estate unless they succeeded in joining the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle lying near the gate. The pieces were made of stone and were very big and heavy. But Bill and Elsa did not lose heart. They had already been warned by the old wise woman that they would have to keep their spirits high and wits quick and sharp. Though the pieces were heavy, they continued their efforts without losing heart and succeeded in completing the puzzle. The guard was also pleased to see so young children succeeding in it. He opened the gate and led them in.

Bill and Elsa walked to the front garden with the hope of meeting the Swan Queen there. But, instead of meeting the Swan Queen, they saw a number of persons completing one jigsaw puzzle or other. They looked around and saw that even the houses and buildings were made of jigsaw pieces put together. They walked the 'Jigsaw Puzzle' village and reached another gate, guarded by a soldier. On the gate was hanging a sign board which read, "Rhyme For Today : Feasting".
The soldier told Bill and Elsa that could not enter the gate unless they gave a word connected with Feasting. Bill and Elsa began to strain their brains to find a word which would help them go inside the gate. Then Elsa shouted, "Fruit-Pie". The soldier was satisfied. He unlocked the gate and let them in. As they entered, Bill and Elsa were amazed at what they saw. They were in a NURSERY RHYME LAND! They found the lack sheep bleating "Baa! Baa!." Humpty Dumpty was also there sitting on the wall. Jack was also there sitting on a stone with his pie. He was pulling a plum from it with a smile on his face. There was a man selling 'Hot Cross Buns'. They also saw Mary with her little lamb. Both Bill and Elsa were convinced that places and persons of the Nursery Rhymes were not imaginary. They decided to come there again after their mother would get well and enjoy the trip.
They continued walking and reached a lake. In the midst of the lake, they saw swans circling around a castle built on an island. Bill and Elsa realized that they had reached the Swan Queen's palace. They found that it was impossible to swim to the castle. They walked around the shore and saw a boat there. The boatman agreed to take them there for a fee which was not a big amount. Bill paid him and he took them to the island. At the gate of the castle, they found a soldier guarding the entrance gate. They told that they wanted to meet the Swan Queen. He led them into a very big hall. At the end of the hall, on a throne, built high above a number of steps, was sitting the Swan Queen.
Bill and Elsa told her about their mother's illness and asked her for the herb. She smiled and asked them to follow her into her medicine room.
Bill and Elsa followed her through the galleries and numerous rooms of the castle. Both of them were astonished. They could not imagine that such a large building could be there. The medicine room was a big room full of shelves with jars of different shapes and sizes. The Swan Queen was very nice, beautiful and kind, just like the queens of Nursery rhymes. She put some medicine in a small bottle from a jar and giving it to Elsa, she said, "This is the medicine your mother needs. It has been made from the herb, you are asking for, and it grows only in the purest air of the forest very far from here. I go there on the wings of my swans and gather it and then prepare the medicine and then prepare the medicine. You need not go there. Take this to your mother and she will be alright."
Bill and Elsa thanked the Swan Queen for her kindness and wished to leave at once. The Swan Queen said, "You can't go by the way you came. You will have to take a new route which will take you much more time."
Bill and Elsa were very much upset and said. The Swan Queen came to their help again and said, Don't worry! You are very nice and lovely children. I will order my swans to take you to your home."
The Swan Queen called two big swans and ordered them to fly the children to their home immediately. Bill and Elsa sat on the backs of the swans and were at their home in no time. After leaving Bill and Elsa at their home, the swans flew back. Their father was very happy to see them back. The medicine given by the Swan Queen cured their mother in no time. Within a week, she was alright again. The whole family went to thank her for her help. She was very happy that Bill and Elsa had saved their mother. She blessed them all.

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