An magritt talseth

Where is my prince?

Original story written and illustrated by An­Magritt Talseth

This is Alexandra, she is a Princess. She is also a hulder.

Being a hulder means that you look very, very pretty until someone looks at the hole in your back. Then the spell is broken, and you look like a child with messy hair and a gap between your teeth. That’s at least what Alexandra looks like.

Alexandra didn’t mind if someone looked at the hole in her back, even if she was a princess.

So Alexandra sat in her castle one day. She was terribly bored. She had been waiting for her prince for a very long time, but every time she looked out of the window in her room, he was nowhere to be seen. She had waited for so long that she had even got the time to Sort her plush monsters Prank her dad Capture several frogs And brush her hair, even if she didn’t like brushing her hair!

She decided that enough was enough! She was going to go out there and find her prince herself! She marched right out through the castle gates, after she had asked her parents nicely, of course.

And so she walked.

And she walked.

And she had a little break.

And then she walked some more.

Until she came across a strange figure. It was a Neck, standing around with a violin in­ hand, looking very confused. “Hello! Have you seen my prince?” Alexandra asked the Neck, but it just shook its head. “No, I haven’t. Have you seen my swamp? I played the violin so vigorously that I forgot where I was going, and now I’m lost.”

“No I haven’t”, said Alexandra. “But I’ll tell you if I see it!”

Then she waved at the Neck as she walked off.

Then she came across another strange figure. It was a Nisse! He was pulling his sled behind him, looking a little bothered by something. “Hello! Have you seen my prince?” asked Alexandra. The Nisse just looked over at her and sighed. “No I haven’t. I’m just trying to get home to my kids and eat some rice porridge”, he pointed to the sled he was dragging. There was a big, huge, enormous sack on it.

“Do you want some help?”

Alexandra asked, and the Nisse nodded.

Alexandra helped the Nisse home, then she walked off again.

Then she came across one more creature. It seemed to be a human! He was sleeping, and snoring loudly. “That’s not my prince”, Alexandra thought in

disgust. “He’s much too noisy!”

So she decided to walk off.

And then, a little ahead, she saw another creature! It looked like a very strong angel, but Alexandra knew it was a Valkyrie. “Hello miss!” Alexandra said. “Have you seen my prince?” The Valkyrie shook her head. “No I haven’t. Have you seen any Vikings lately?”

“I don’t think those are around anymore”, Alexandra answered, and the Valkyrie nodded solemnly. “Thank you anyway”, she said. Alexandra waved and walked off.

Then she came across one more creature! It was a little man with a head of fire. It was a Lyktemann! “Hello!

Have you seen a prince around here?” she asked, and the Lyktemann thought and thought, but at last he shook his head. “No I haven’t. Have you seen any humans that I can lead into the swamp around?” it asked her, and she thought and thought, but at last shook her head. “Yes, but he was sleeping, and snoring very loudly.

However, I saw a Neck earlier that seemed lost. Maybe you could lead him back to the

swamp?” she asked, and the little Lyktemann suddenly turned very bright and happy. “I will! Thank you!” he said, and bounced off. Alexandra waved until she couldn’t see the Lyktemann anymore, then she walked off.

Then she came across another creature! Oh wait, it was just an elk. An elk with a saddle? She walked over to it. It was peacefully eating some blueberries.

“HEY!” Someone shouted! Alexandra jumped, and looked all around.

“UP HERE!” Alexandra looked up, and right there was her prince. Stuck in a tree.

“Do you need help?” she asked. It looked like he was nodding. Alexandra climbed up the tree, and helped get him loose.

When she climbed back down, he was smiling wide, and she smiled back. “Hello! Are you my prince?” she asked. “I think I am. My name is Prince Erik, after all. Are you my princess?” he asked, and she nodded.

“Wanna be friends?” he asked. “Sure!” Alexandra beamed. “Wanna play? I have lots of toys in my room!” she asked him, and he nodded. “Let’s go then!” she said

and took his hand, pulling him towards the elk who seemed entirely unaffected by the entire meeting.

Then the two friends rode off towards the castle.

The end.