Script: Prince Redbreast, Page Something Else
Robin: Bring me a golden ring, a crying piglet, and a silk scarf which never touches the ground. In exchange for these three items I will give you the heart.
The robin sits in his nest, looking quite proud of himself. Callpygia looks confused.
Callpygia: Is that all?
Robin: It is enough.
Callpygia: Consider it done.
Callpygia walks away from the robin’s tree, singing to herself. The robin smirks at her from his nest.
Robin: Sucker.
Callpygia walks to her house.
She fetches an axe.
She returns to the robin’s tree, where the robin is sleeping.
She begins chopping down the tree. The robin wakes up.
Robin: Wha!?
The robin flies around Callpygia as she continues to cut.
Robin: You crazy trollop! What do you think you’re doing! This wasn’t our agreement!
The tree falls.
Callpygia catches the robin and threatens it.
Callpygia: I could break your scrawny little neck for what you’ve done, but I won’t because I’m a lady. Now go away and never trouble me or the prince ever again.
Robin (being choked): erk… a.. gre… eed…
Callpygia throws the Robin away, into the woods.
Callpygia: Scram!
The basic idea for Callpygia is that she’s eminently practical. Instead of worrying about problems, she takes the direct action needed to resolve them. Unlike most of the characters I write she demonstrates ataraxia in practice rather than in breach.
Incidentally, I have a cartoon up today over at Amanda Hess’s blog.
May 14th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Hmm. I guess if the Prince was hardy enough to survive heart removal (don’t know the clinical term for that one), then his heart is hardy enough to survive all this up to and including falling to the ground with the nest. Sorry if it sounds like I’m auditing the logic of your fairy tale, but… Okay, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I must apologize for my behavior.