Fiona lay in her bed, clutching her covers, wide-eyed and eager as Emily continued recounting her story.
"And so the farmer entered the house of the monster, and the woman took some of the stew she had been preparing for the monster's dinner and gave the farmer a bowl. And she opened up one of the cabinets that was left mostly unused and she cleared it out and made a space where the farmer could lay down.
"'Here,' she told the farmer. Lay down in here. That way if you still aren't able to move when the monster comes home you may hide from him. I'll keep him entertained with food and drink, so that maybe when he falls asleep you might be able to escape from here unnoticed.'
"And the farmer thanked the woman and lay down in the cabinet. And just as he did the door to the house burst open with a tremendous roar.
"'Wife!' The monster roared. 'Come and feed me my dinner! You better have it prepared or else you know what will happen to you.' And the woman who was betrothed to the monster came quickly to the door.
"'Of course husband,' she said with a forced smile. 'Your stew and bread are ready, here let me serve them for you.' And she rushed to serve the monster. 'And would you like some wine to drink with your meal?' She asked. 'We have many fine vintages in our cellar.' The monster grunted assent as he scarfed down the food. And the woman scurried to the cellar to provide the monster with wine, attentively filling his glass every time he emptied it. And when the monster was full on the stew and red from the wine. The woman said in a suggestive tone, 'And would you like some other comforts this night? Why don't you follow me to our bedroom and I'll show you a good time.'"
Fiona gasped. Is this the kind of story you tell two year olds in this world? But she also giggled because she was enjoying it. Seeing Fiona's response Emily narrowed her eyes in suspicion at her, but continued with the story. I suppose I asked for it, Fiona shrugged.
"'Woman!' The monster cried. 'You are so obedient today! If only you could be like this every day.' And the monster's eyes narrowed in suspicion. 'Is there some special reason why you would be so good to me today?' Laying in the cupboard the farmer held his breath. Would she betray him! Would the monster find out! From the sound of him he sounded like a true beast. Surely someone capable of stringing him up and roasting him on the fire!
"'No, no!' The woman said, genially. 'Just that I've realized that as long as I'm here as your wife, I might as well enjoy it!'
"The monster grinned. 'Good, good. Finally you have some sense! Well, then let's get to it!' And the woman led the monster up to their bedroom, leaving the farmer safe in his hiding place on the first floor. Quickly the farmer shook himself from his fear 'That monster is surely terrible!' he thought to himself. 'If I wait for nightfall when they are asleep, perhaps he will wake and catch me, and then I'll be dead for certain!' And so even though the farmer's body still ached terribly from the beating the robbers had given him, he got up quietly from the cupboard the woman had hidden him in, and quickly and quietly made his way out of the house. Once he was finally outside the threshold he began running as fast as he could. 'Thank Ambrose that kind woman shielded me or else I'd surely be dead!'
"But after running awhile away from the house. The farmer stopped and realized his situation. Night was falling, and though he'd had some stew to eat for dinner. He didn't have any food for the next day nor any blankets to keep himself warm with for the night. Continuing to trudge late into the night, the farmer finally realized that he wouldn't find any more houses for that night, so finally he gave in and searched for a simple cave instead that might keep him out of the late night winds.
"And finding a cave at last. He lay down to rest. Dead tired from all his walking and wounds, he fell asleep instantly. But when he woke strangely enough he found himself in a golden palace! Looking around in confusion he saw a snake slithering on the ground, looking up at him with intelligent eyes. And suddenly even more to the farmer's exacerbation the snake spoke!
"It said, 'The monster whose house you fled from was the reason your crops failed. He drained the lifeforce from your crops and stole it for his own gain. He is now dead. Return to his house and take from his storehouse to make up for your failed harvest.' And as the palace before his eyes began to fade the farmer quickly called out. 'Who are you?'
"And the snake flicked its tongue and said as if amused. 'Me? I am the Snake of Time.' And the vision of the palace and the snake faded from the farmer's vision and he woke to find himself back in the cave he had found the night before. And returning quickly the way that he came, the farmer came to the house of the monster that he had fled in terror the night before. And walking into the bedroom he found the woman from the other night sitting on the floor in shock.
"'What happened?' He asked her.
"'He's dead. He died. Just like that. I don't even know what did it.' She said, staring at the monstrous corpse lying on the bed. And the farmer crouched by her side and said kindly. 'Listen, you really saved me last night. Without your help and kindness I'd surely be dead! I'm planning on taking all of the monster's stores back to my farm down the way. Come with me and be my wife! I'll make sure to treat you well!'
"And the woman came with him and became his wife, and he used the stores from the monster to plant his fields anew. And his harvests never failed again. And him and the woman lived happily ever after free from monsters and curses."