Rumpelstiltskin - A Cautionary Tale
“A marriage of convenience. A marriage to please others.” Emma murmured to herself under her breath on the way to the ceremony.
“How can I have got myself in this position. It feels unreal. Ludicrous.” Emma thought.
The wooing had begun some time ago from her soon to be husband. Though it had been more a case of priming her: Isolating her from her family ties; making himself necessary to her.
“He had promised so much and seemed so kind. At first. I thought it was done out of the goodness of his heart.”
It turned out not to be so. His motive was much more sinister. Kindness soon turned into controlling behaviour, and then his true intention became clear, he wanted something in return. It was a trap, and poor Emma had been lured into it.
The man concerned brought it up one summer evening. It was pleasantly calm. Emma had chosen to walk home. An invigorating experience in such weather. The birds were tweeting, the squirrels were scurrying. Emma had barely a care in the world. And then he appeared. The best of intentions, he offered her a lift home. Emma did not want to upset or disappoint him, so agreed, though she would have preferred to walk.
In retrospect she wished she had refused the lift, for her calm, peaceful world was about to be turned upside down. The atmosphere became eerie and strange as he made his announcement. Emma’s pleasant existence had just dropped off a cliff.
She was shocked, incredulous. She almost wanted to laugh out loud at the sheer insanity of her whole predicament. This impish-looking man, for all his good deeds, could he really be serious in his proposal of marriage? He looked up hopefully, expectantly. He was serious. It was no joke.
The man knew she did not feel for him in this way. He was not stupid. Who would want to be partnered with someone looking like he did. Small, spindly, long nose; large ears; curved back. I know they say love is blind, but I don’t think it is quite that blind. The man was almost elfish.
But he had no illusions about his lack of sexual appeal. What he lacked here, he made up for in wiliness, social and emotional intelligence. Basically he was good at manipulating people to get what he wanted by other means. And what he wanted was a partner. Not for true love, not for friendly company. But simply because it was a challenge, a game. An achievement to add to his trophy cabinet. And a fine way to quiet those who paraded their partners, their beautiful wives, their smiling, laughing children. All to draw envy out of him, so he thought. No longer would he be their fool.
Emma delayed making a decision. This man had become so necessary to her in all aspects of her life, it would be difficult to turn him down. She only realised this now, at the prospect of doing just this. So she consulted her parents.
To her bemusement they seemed quite keen on the pairing. “You really ought to settle down. He has money. A high-payed job. A thriving business... And he has always been so nice to you.” They had said.
The web being spun around her grew tighter. Her family were even on his side, turning against her for the sake of a chance at money, security, all the things that meaned so little to her. The world she knew and loved was being taken away from her. Everything she valued was drifting away. And she could not even scream out for help, for noone could see her, or wanted to see, her point of view.
And now here she was being driven to the ceremony. Expected to smile, be happy. Even grateful and thankful to this man. This hideous creature who had spun her into a web from which there was no escape.
But she had a shock in store for them all. This self-righteous little man had a dark secret. A second life. She had hired a private investigator to dig up some dirt on him. It was an outside chance, more in hope than expectation. But she was desperate and would try anything to retain some prospect of escape from this nightmare.
In her self she felt there must be something. No one could be squeaky clean, who acted so manipulatively, and treated people as little more than instruments to play a tune out of.
The investigator had found something. He was a member of a ring of criminals trafficking young girls, teenagers, into the country to prime them for prostitution. It was all done online. The police were keen to track down a character going under the title of rumpelstiltskin. And the investigator had discovered that her soon to be husband was this character...
The ceremony began. Emma was ready to do what she must. To get her revenge on this creature who tried to ruin her life. The guests were gathered. Her partner to be laughed and joked with her family: Winning people over as always with his personable manner. He grinned at Emma who held back a grin of her own. “Not yet” she told herself, “wait for the perfect moment.”
The priest boomed out the vows. It resonated through Emma, and chilled her spine. She wanted to run for her life, but she was stuck standing near this creature. It came towards the conclusion. “Do you Emma, take this man to be your husband, to love and to care for, to cherish...”
Emma lifted her veil with trepidation, trying her best to control her nerves and her inner fury and turmoil. The crowd gasped. Emma cried out, “I do not take thee, Rumpelstiltskin, to be my husband. Not now and not ever!”
As the realisation dawned in his eyes, Emma savoured that moment. She would cherish it for the rest of her life.
The sorry little man turned to look around, spotted the police, poised to arrest him. He took his wedding hat, threw it on the ground and started stamping on it.
“You dare to turn me down! You will pay for this you silly little girl!”
The crowd stared at the unveiled rumpelstiltskin in disbelief. He shouted and screamed; tore his hat up. The poor little man was consumed by rage. It was a horrific sight.
Emma was paralyzed by fear. Thankfully the police on standby moved in to arrest him. The nightmare was over. Rumpelstiltskin was carried away kicking and screaming.
Reality setting in could be worse than any nightmare, thought Emma. It had been for her, and now so it was for him. He was driven away in the police car and Emma never had to set eyes on that sad and twisted little man ever again.
