Once upon a time, at the edge of a kingdom called Amari, nestled a village known for its peaceful and harmonious way of life. Everyone lived kindly and respectfully with their neighbors.
A twelve-year-old girl named Beatrice lived with her parents in this village. She was known for her beauty. Her sparkling round eyes held pupils like black diamonds, and her long, flowing black hair shimmered in the sunlight. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Despite her parents’ ordinary looks, Beatrice was blossoming into a beautiful young woman.
However, the villagers’ constant praise filled Beatrice with arrogance. She believed herself to be the most beautiful girl in the entire kingdom. Often, she would sashay around the village, dressed to impress, asking everyone if they thought she was beautiful.
Her dreams of being the undisputed beauty were shattered when traveling merchants who visited the village for their yearly trade spoke highly of the princess’s appearance. Apparently, she was so stunning that some even considered her to be an earthly goddess.
Consumed by jealousy of the princess, Beatrice decided to seek out the village witch to make herself even more beautiful than royalty. The journey to the witch’s forest was fraught with danger, but Beatrice wouldn’t be deterred. She repeated a mantra to herself, “I must be the most beautiful in the kingdom!” Her determination grew until she finally spotted the witch’s ramshackle hut which was on the verge of collapse.
The witch was an old woman, undeniably ugly. Her nose hooked downwards, and her eyes resembled a hawk’s. Despite being the ugliest creature Beatrice had ever seen, her obsession with beauty drove her to seek the witch’s potion. When the witch saw Beatrice, a wide smile spread across her face, a smile Beatrice found incredibly unsettling. Nevertheless, Beatrice took the potion from the witch and returned home, determined to follow the instructions precisely.
The next morning, a bloodcurdling scream pierced through the village, emanating from Beatrice’s house. Everyone who rushed to the scene could not believe their eyes. They were unsure if it was even Beatrice standing before them. Her face was marred by a horrible scar, so frightening, it terrified the village children. The witch’s potion, instead of enhancing her beauty, it had the opposite effect.
Devastated, the villagers pleaded with the witch to reverse the curse. “Oh, the potion is permanent,” the witch said without a shred of remorse. “There’s nothing I can do.”
An evil glint flickered in the witch’s eyes as she continued, “I merely taught her a valuable lesson.”
“A valuable lesson?” The villagers cried out in disbelief.
The witch cackled with delight. “Her obsession with beauty led to her downfall.”
The villagers left the witch’s hut, their hearts heavy with sadness for Beatrice, the village beauty who had become so very ugly.
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Read – Baraka the Bee – A Children’s Literature by Shifaa Ibuni – Tanzania
