The Wolf and the Frost King

“Momma can you tell us a story?” Andrea asked her mother. “What story would you like to hear my little birds?” “The Frost King. Tells us the one about the Frost King.” Pleads little Isabella with her mother. “Very well. Gather around the fire children and I will tell you the Story of the Frost King.” The children all huddled together and under fur blankets. “A long time ago, our people were more than just ordinary people. They were also wolves. Every full moon our people would change into giant wolves and run through the forest together for many years. One day a man appeared to the village. He had white hair and piercing blue eyes. He stood as tall as a tree and practically skin and bone. The chief of the village approached the man and the man told him, “I am the Frost King. I bring the snow and the cold. You come into my land and kill my animals and give nothing back.” The chief apologizes to the Frost King. “What could we offer to you in return?” The chief asks. “You can offer celebration in my name.” The Frost King says. “We will hold a festival in your honor every year Great Frost King.” The Frost King was pleased with this offering and let our people continue to hunt in the forest. One day the Forest King heard the festival and grew angry. He appeared to our people. He looked half man half tree. The chief of the village approached him. “I am the Forest King. You come into my forest and kill my animals and do nothing in return for me.” The chief thinks for a moment. “What could we give you Forest King?” “Some bread and salt should do.” “We will leave offerings to you of bread and salt daily, Great Forest King.” Pleased with the offering the Forest King returned to the Forest. The Frost King learned of the daily offerings to the Forest King and grew jealous. Over many year his jealousy grew more and more. One day the Frost King returned to the village. “Oh great Frost king, what brings you back to our village.” “I require an additional sacrifice.” “What could we give to you?” “I need a wife. I require your daughter as my bride.” The chief was taken aback by his request. But he thought up a plan. “Great Frost king, my daughter is still too young to marry.” “Very well. I will come back every year until you say she is ready. But You must not tell her of our arrangement until she is ready to marry, or a curse will fall on your people.” The chief agreed. And so every year the Frost King came back to check on his future bride. And every year the chief said she was not ready. On the tenth year of his return, the Frost King grew impatient. “It has been ten years, has your daughter come of age yet?” The Frost King asked. “Oh Great Frost King, my daughter just needs one more year. Come back next year and she will be here waiting for you.” The chief bowed to the Frost King. He was pleased with his response and left the village. The chief went to his wife. “He is coming back next year for Claire, what are we going to do?” He frantically asks his wife. “Why don’t we take that village girl with the long black hair and give her to him? He doesn’t know what Claire looks like, and the girl is basically mute.” “Glass’s daughter?” “That’s the one.” The chief and his wife spoke to the girls father and offered riches and a place at his table if he agreed. The girls father agreed. The next year the Frost King returned, and like promised there stood a young woman with the chief standing beside her. She was average in beauty and she had long black hair. She was wrapped in many layers of furs. “Great Frost King, I present to you my daughter.” The chief bowed. The Frost King was pleased and took the girl into the forest. The Frost King took the girl back to his home in the forest. “Young lady what is your name?” “Claire, Great Frost King.” The girl shivered, even under the fur. “Are you the chiefs daughter?” “I am.” The girl shivered more. “Why do you shiver? Are you cold?” “No I am not cold, Frost King.” “Then why do you shiver so?” “I’m sorry King, I shake when I lie. That is why they wrapped my in such heavy fur.” The Frost King grew angry. “Why would you lie to me?” “They made me. The chief told me to pretend to be his daughter or they would kick me into the forest at night to die.” The Frost King raced out the door and headed straight for the village. He made the wind howl and the snow whip. The villagers all heard the winter storm outside and braced themselves inside their homes. The Frost King goes to the chiefs house and blows in the door and windows. “Do you think you can trick me?” The Frost King bellows in a deep booming voice! “No no no Frost King. We just couldn’t bare with parting from our young one. Please forgive us. I am an old fool.” The chief begged. “Bring me your daughter now.” The Frost King blew the wind so hard, the roof almost came off the house. The chief brought his daughter out to the Frost king. She was very beautiful with pale skin and raven black hair. The Frost King froze the girl solid in front of the chief and his wife. They both cried out over their daughter and threw themselves at their frozen daughters feet. “You do not deserve the gifts you have been given. You shall live as normal man do. Continue to pay respects and maybe you will earn your gifts back.” The Frost King let the wind howl through the village, knocking some homes over and then he vanished. He was never seen again, nor was the village girl. Claire was left as a frozen statue as a constant reminder of the wraith of the Frost King. Our people lost our wolf abilities and to this day, we never got them back.”