The Lost Story

by Meg Shaffer

Mrs. Adler’s Recipe for a Fairy Tale For any fairy tale worth its salt, you will need most, if not all, of the following ingredients… One princess in some sort of trouble and/or distress. One magician. If a magician is unavailable, you may substitute a wizard and/or wise woman. Basically, anyone with magic powers who knows more than they’re willing to tell. One hero, the more unlikely, the better. One to three villains worth fighting (and don’t skimp on the evil deeds). A member of a royal family disguised as a nobody. A pinch of unusual animals. Place all ingredients into a world that is not our own, mix well, and let it rise. You’ll know you’ve created a good fairy tale if your story ends happily ever after for the heroes and badly for the villains.

In other words, a hero on a quest for the Holy Grail isn’t looking for the Holy Grail. The hero is trying to find himself, and the only way he can find his true self is by going on a journey, being tried and tested until he knows if he is a hero in name only or a hero in truth.

“Mom, I’m scared.” “I know, Emmielou. But scared is a feeling, not an excuse.”

“As many churches as you have in this bloody state, you’d think you all would know a miracle when you saw one,” Jeremy’s mother told them. “Stop asking why and let me take my son home.”

Ask any question in an infinite universe, and the answer is yes. Always yes.”

Joy is quieter than people think it is. Especially the joy of getting back something you thought was lost forever.”

“Nobody ever tells you that when you go to another world, that even if it’s paradise, you’ll still miss your mum and your dog.”