the little creatures.
"I have bloomed." Joshua said, happily watching the moths. "They live within my pods until the flowers open. They will pollinate my flowers so that I can produce fruit.
Carnegiea was jealous. She had to attract moths but Joshua had hundreds. But soon the Agave's moths were happily alighting on her blossoms as well. She giggled when they landed, their little wings tickling her trumpet blossoms.
The wood rat reminded the friends that they had to return to the day side and inform the witch so she could judge their flowers. When the winter witch opened her door, she was greeted by the sight of a mighty Saguaro cactus, taller than the cherry trees in her arbor, dotted with pearly white trumpet flowers of uniform size and perfect symmetry. On her arm was a sturdy and well proportioned Agave plant with a crown of startling white blooms and a bouquet at the end of each arm. "So soon?" asked the witch. "Well then, I only asked for one and you give me more than there are tumble weeds on the plains." She smiled widely, crinkles just showing at the corners of her eyes.
"Please Mistress When, is one of our blooms beautiful enough to spare our friends and provide us our freedom?"
The winter witch brushed her hair from her face and stroked her strong chin. "Which one should I judge?"
Carnegiea shrugged. "Whichever pleases you the most."
The winter witch laughed and laughed. "Oh well, you have beaten me then. If one of your flowers are beautiful, then surely a hundred are too many to judge. I will take one from each of you, and you may return to your mountain. Your friends will be waiting for you there."
Carnegiea and Joshua rejoiced even more than they had before. Now with a lightness of step and a new pride in their people, they thanked the witch and left before she could change her mind. Carnegiea would not be dissuaded from joining Joshua on his return to the human village. She was as eager as he was to see what changes the witch had wrought.
When the travelers arrived, they were shocked to see the spiked, short trees still occupying the human village, and mixed in amongst them, dozens of cacti, short and tall. Three spindly Pines hung around the entrance and waved a welcome to the duo. And standing right in the middle of all, Mistress When, the winter witch herself! Orioles graced the branches of all the trees and plants, humming the witch's anthem. As Joshua and Carnegiea stared, unbelieving, the folk cried, "Welcome! Welcome home!"
"What is happening? Why have you not turned back to humans?" asked Joshua.
"And why are you all here, when last I spoke to you, the cacti were on the verge of war with the Agave?" Carnegiea asked.
Just then, the doors of the human dwellings flew open and the humans stepped out, laughing.
Joshua stared, realization slowly dawning. "You were never changed. You fooled me as you fooled Carnegiea."
Everyone was laughing and clapping now. "We fooled the great Joshua Tree!"
The Weaver of Stories explained. "When we heard why the lovely Carnegiea was on the way to our mountain, we knew we had to be clever in order to prevent a war. You helped us by suggesting a trick and we encouraged you. When you went to her aid, you proved to the Pines that you were a better person than they had previously believed. But Carnegiea's family were not convinced until you made the trek through the desert to prove your sincere regret for your arrogance. Your own people were harder to convince. Only Carnegiea's loyalty to you proved to them that the cacti can be trusted. Now we all have peace. Best of all, the winter witch has declared the blossoms of the desert people more beautiful in their rarity than the wild flowers of the plains and prairies."
After that there was a great celebration. Never again did the cacti and trees and plants fight amongst themselves. And the humans, for their part in preventing the great war, were rewarded with all that the vegepeople had to give. They ate the sweet fruit of the humwichaway and wove baskets from its leaves. They roasted the petals of the extra blossoms of the Saguaro cactus and drank water from their discarded boots. They nibbled on cactus candy provided by the barrel cactus and hunted pine nuts which they roasted in the fall. And all the prickle people, cactus, yucca, and trees, almost lived happily ever after.
Of course, there was the incident with the ogre. But that is another story.
This story was based on characters which appear in the book, Flat Fax and the Book of Doors, Illustrated. Granny writes all the characters and settings of her domain. Some of those stories have leaked over to our universe through the Door of Books, which has been opened by Flat Fax. Best to hurry and read them now before it slams shut again. If you enjoyed this free story, consider purchasing your own copy of Flat Fax and The Book of Doors. Other free stories which may leak over to our universe very soon are The Consumption of The Hampires, A Rain of Birds, and Pedro and the Poodle.
Keep an eye out for Flat Fax and the Book of Doors audible book, coming soon and Flat Fax and the Door of Books, due out sometime this summer.
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