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There once was a girl named Belle. Her name meant beautiful and it was a fitting title for her. Her whole life she had been a very beautiful girl. When she was young, Belle’s parents had passed away and she was put into an orphanage. It took a year before an elderly woman adopted her.
When Belle had first entered her new home she had been excited and happy that someone had wanted her, and she was told she would have a sister to spend time with. When she entered her room, the room she would be sharing with her sister, her new mom left so that the girls could bond.
Then Belle saw her. Her name was Joli and she sat on her bed reading a book. She was pretty, long scarlet locks of hair fell around a freckled baby-face. Her body ram was slightly thick and she wore nothing but black. Joli looked up from her book to see Belle observing her.
“You’re the girl mom adopted?” she asked and Belle hesitantly nodded. Joli’s face grimaced, “She picked a little black girl. Why would she do that? All you people are so ugly. In fact, that’s what I’ll call you from now on, Moche. Moche means ugly, just like you and your kind.”
For the next few years that’s how Belle lived. Her new mother and Joli treated her like a slave, not a child who required love and protection. As she blossomed into a beautiful girl they hid her away and covered her with dirt, grime, and shame. Belle’s only friend was a snake she commonly saw when she worked in the family’s garden. She named the snake Aides, and she talked to him whenever she worked.
One day, when Joli returned form the city, which was a mile way form their little house, as was everything else, she rocketed into the garden to boast to Belle, “Moche! Moche! You won’t believe it! The prince of our little kingdom needs to find a bride! So, he’s going to be spending all of his time meeting the ladies of the kingdom. And guess who I ran into today? As a person of color I don’t expect you to really figure it out, but it was him! The prince! I charmed him into coming to dinner tonight so I want you to disappear and stay in your room. Your ugliness might distract him from my beauty,” with those cruel words she ran excitedly into the house to get ready.
“Oh, Aides, I wish the prince would find me attractive. But, I know I’m just an ugly little dark skinned girl.” Belle was on the verge of tears when she talked about herself. Despite having large, chestnut eyes, flawless ebony skin, and healthy black hair, all she saw about herself was what Joli told her was true.
When the prince arrived her brought many people with him. It was important to act royal at all times for him. While everybody laughed and talked downstairs, Belle was left to cry in her room alone. She didn’t even have Aides out of the garden. Without any friends Belle had only one way to comfort herself. She had to sing.
“When the rain clouds leave
And the thunder stops
When the harsh winds pass
Sun clears all the rain drops
The light will warm you
So have no fear
The storm will leave
But I will always be here…”
She repeated that melody to herself to stop her crying, but downstairs the prince heard her tune from the dinner table.
“What is that lovely melody?” he asked curiously.
“Probably the wind, I don’t hear anything,” Joli lied.
“If you insist.” The prince shrugged, but continued to listen. In fact, he was falling in love with the voice he was hearing.
The next day the prince made an announcement, he would hold a singing contest to find his bride. Joli was very happy to hear this, she thought herself a fabulous singer and she knew she’d win and become a royal bride.
The day of the contest Joli had to bring Belle with her into town. Their mother had business to attend to outside of their house and she didn’t trust Belle at home alone. Joli didn’t like being seen with her, so she had her walk a few feet behind her when they were in public.
When they got to the line Joli told Belle to stand off to the side, “You know what I told you about your ugliness. I would hate to lose because I had a little black girl standing to close to me.”
As Joli got closer to the front of the line, Belle felt something slithering up her leg. She felt it move up her body until she saw a snake slide out of her sleeve.
“Aides!” she cheered, “I’m so glad you’re here!”
For a second it almost looked like the snake smiled. Then he moved his head down to her arm and bit, hard. Belle screamed out of surprise and pain as loud as she could. Aides, her only friend, wouldn’t let go of her flesh.
Suddenly the prince ran from where he had been at the head of the line. He ran to where Belle stood, “Excuse me, miss, was that you who just cried out?”
Aides had let go of her by now, but she was terrified about her situation. Why would the prince want to talk to someone as ugly as her? Finally, she worked up the courage to speak.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have come, but I had to come with my sister. I’m sorry for interrupting the contest. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“What’s your name?” he asked her anxiously.
“Umm…” she pondered which name was the one he wanted to hear, “Moche, people call me Moche.”
“Moche?” the prince was surprised that a girl as beautiful as this could have such a hideous name.
“Well, my real name is…” she looked past the prince at Joli. She had a horrible scowl on her face, “Belle. My real name is Belle.”
The prince smiled, “Belle, will you sing for me, please?”
Belle began the same melody she sang before,
“The light will warm you
So have no fear
The storm will leave
But I will always be here…”
The prince gently kissed her lips, “You are the princess I’ve been looking for.”
Shortly after, the prince swept Belle away, taking Aides along for the ride. And they lived happily ever after.
As for Joli, people soon learned about her hateful ways. Her friends left her. She was never married. Today she lives as an elderly woman with an oddly large amount of cats. Most people think that being alone all these years has caused her to go crazy, but no one really cares.
 Alatria · Mon Feb 12, 2007 @ 05:03pm · 0 Comments |
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