There was once a boy who lived in a village deep within the woods. Every day he would leave home and walk along the riverbank, where he would meet others like himself. Together they would talk of things that mattered as well as those which didn't. It was in these conversations that the boy met the girl of his dreams. When he spoke to her, she listened with interest and asked questions to better understand.
One night, the group noticed something moving among the trees. They followed it into the woods and discovered it was a creature with a large head and horns. The villagers were frightened, but the boy walked boldly toward it. Something about the creature drew him closer.
"Hello," he said.
The monster turned to face him. "What do you want?" it growled.
"Nothing. I just wanted to say hello."
"Well, don't bother me again."
The boy nodded and went about his business. As he left, he heard the beast sob. That night, he dreamed of a beautiful woman with long white hair begging for help. Almost immediately, the beautiful lady turns into the creature in the woods. And back to the girl of his dreams. He didn't understand what was happening.
He needed to understand why he was seeing three different forms in one person. It turns out she was cursed and she hasn't been able to find anyone to break the curse. She could turn to anything depending on the occasion. And the boy had met her in two forms and her current form in his dreams.
He woke up in the morning to find that she had come to his window. She waited up for him all night and he invited her in. After talking to her, he realized that she was the same creature he had encountered the previous days as a young lad, the other night as a heinous troll, and the beautiful maiden in his dreams.
She told him about the curse and how she offended her widowed mother by trying to leave her behind and elope with a stranger. She laid a love curse on her that could only be broken by presenting a symbol of love to her mom and asking for forgiveness. She explained she was lonely and tired of living in different forms.
"I have had many friends in the past but they run from me when they find out I am an ugly troll," she said amidst tears.
The boy turns to face her. "What can I do to help break the curse?" He asked.
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"There's a rose. It grows in the wild beneath the most dangerous tree in the world. You have to find it and bring it to my mum to appease her."
"Well, I'll do anything for you because I love you. How do I find this tree?"
"Are you sure? No one has even made it to the tree and returned alive" she said.
He held her hands while staring deep into her eyes. "Don't worry, love conquers all. I'll find you this rose" He said warmly.
She reached into her pocket and provided a map. The map to the forest of thorns and horror. Together, they studied the map until the boy felt ready to proceed.
The next day, he kissed her on her forehead and promised to return with the rose. She smiled as she anticipates being fully human again. The boy turns to leave.
" Wait," she said.
She handed him a necklace. It contained the charm that allows him to switch into different creatures. She explained he can use it when he senses he is in danger and be able to fight the various battle on his journey.
"Thank you," He smiled as he received the protective armor.
The boy waved her goodbye and journeyed into the forest to find the rose that will set the love of his life free. The rose that will transform her from being one of the things that go bump in the night to the beautiful maiden he saw in his dream.