Marie and the Enchantment of Schlafberg's Fairyland
There was once a small bustling town nestled between the lofty mountains called Schlafberg. The town was known for its extreme weathers, heavenly apple orchards, and, above all, the vivid tales about an enchanting fairyland that could be reached by crossing the mountain range. None who attempted had returned to tell the tale, and hence, the allure of this mysterious fairyland came to affirm its place in Schlafberg's folklore.
The heart of Schlafberg was an enterprising young woman, Marie, the owner of the most prosperous apple orchard. Marie was an adroit individual with an uncanny ability to dream big. She yearned to explore the unknown, and the concealed allure of the fabled fairyland took hold of her heart. While others justified the absence of explorers from the fairyland as their unwillingness to return to Schlafberg after tasting the wonders of the mystical realm, Marie had her suspicions on their fate and was keen to uncover the truth.
Summoning her courage, cloaked in determination, she embarked on her journey one bright morning with a simple rucksack filled with apples from her orchard, Schlafberg's honey bread, a coil of rope, and a sharp knife. Marie was attentive to the stories her grandparents told her about navigating the mountains, honing her senses to read nature's signs and clues. She spent days scaling steep slopes, traversing treacherous paths and enduring freezing nights, but none of it deterred her spirit.
As expected, her journey was taxing, fraught with danger, and yet, the mesmerizing beauty she encountered was unthinkable. Vibrantly coloured birds, bewitching multitude of wildflowers and the sheer serenity of the wilderness were beyond what words could fathom. Every single adversity began to feel worth the unearthly gratification that the majesty of the mountains granted.
On the tenth day, when the sun was whispering its goodbye to the mountains, she reached the highest summit. Camped there, she caught sight of a surreal vision in the valley below: the glowing fairyland. A multitude of lanterns floated around like golden teardrops; treehouses blossomed with iridescent lights nestled between trees of dazzling colours, wholly foreign to Schlafberg. The sight was intoxicatingly beautiful and yet sinister.
The next morning, she commenced her final leg to the fairyland. As she neared it, the air grew peculiar— a scent that was both sweet and sickeningly overpowering. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to lay down and sleep; she realised it was a sleep enchantment that the fairies of this land had bewitched to dissuade human intrusion. Mustering all her willpower, she fought the enticement and, with every step, she munched on her apples, which by some miracle seemed to help her maintain her clarity.
In spite of the deadly enchantment, she finally made her way to the captivating fairyland. Upon her arrival, the tiny fairy inhabitants were astounded. No human had ever succeeded to cross the barrier! Intrigued by her bravery, they welcomed Marie with twinkling eyes. Marie, well aware of her goal, asked them about her fellow townsfolk who had ventured to the fairyland before her.
The fairies' expressions turned grim. They revealed how the humans, intoxicated by the enchantment, fell into an eternal sleep in the outskirts of the fairyland. They had devised the sleep enchantment as a defence mechanism against human invasion; they hadn't desired for it to be a death trap. Marie felt her heart sunk. But, she realized, at least she had found the truth.
She implored the fairies to help bring her slumbering townsfolk back and assured them that no one from Schlafberg would intrude upon their serene world again. The fairies, remorseful for the unintended havoc they caused, agreed. With Marie's help and the bitter pulp from the center of her apples, they crafted a cure and broke the eternal sleep enchantment.
True to her promise, Marie returned to Schlafberg, bringing back the adventurers who had given up their reality for an unreachable dream. From then on, the people of Schlafberg stopped trying to cross the mountains, their spirits satisfied with the knowledge that neither glory nor engrossing fairyland awaited them beyond the hills. However, the tale of Marie's courage, determination, and her journey to the fairyland became a folklore told with pride and admiration in Schlafberg for generations to come.