Handless Maiden

At midnight, as the king, the gardener, and the priest watched, the maiden came out of the bushes, walked over to the tree, and ate one of the pears with her mouth, while an angel in white stood next to her.

The priest stepped forward and said to the maiden, "Have you come from heaven or from earth? Are you a spirit or are you a human being?"

"I'm not a spirit, but a poor creature forsaken by everyone except God."

"You may be forsaken by the whole world, but I shall not forsake you," said the king.

He took her with him to his royal palace, and since she was so beautiful and good, he loved her with all his heart, had silver hands made for her, and took her for his wife.

- from The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan and inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales.
2022.