Once upon a time, there lived a little girl in a big house. She had once lived there with her father and mother, but they were long gone now. Her uncle took care of her now. Her uncle was kind to her, he let her play all she wanted all day. He asked only two things of her. That every day she would go out, fetch some water from the well, and bring some rabbit back for food. The little girl was content in this arrangement, as much as she was scared of the darkness of the well, or the spasming of the rabbit when it knew death was upon it. She loved her uncle.
She learned to ignore these things eventually as well. She no longer feared the bones that got stuck in the well water bucket, she grew calmer each time a rabbit died. She even began to take joy from the two tasks her uncle asked of her.
Then one day, her uncle told her that he had to leave on business. “I’ll be gone for three days my sweet, do not forget your tasks.” And with that he left.
On the first day the little girl did exactly as she had been told. She pulled the water bucket up with delight, tossed the bones back down, and collected the water. Then she took the bunny, and with no feeling cut it to the bone. After this she went home content. That night she stayed up past her bedtime. There was no one around to tell her what to do, so she read all night long.
The next morning the little girl was tired. She trudged all the way to the well, and did her best to try and pull up the bucket, but to no avail. Her strength had left her. She tried to catch a rabbit, but they went too fast, they slipped through her fingers. Suddenly the little girl’s eyes felt heavy, and she fell asleep right in the middle of the field.
That night a storm. Thunder and lightning rolled over the field, as the girl was pelted upon by raindrops. The next morning the little girl awoke as tired as before. She did her best once again to do what her uncle asked of him, but she could not. She went inside the house, sad and defeated. She fell asleep on the floor of the living room.
It was midnight when her uncle returned. He slammed the door open, a deafening sound harder than lightning. The little girl looked up at her uncle with fear. Her uncle looked at her, a mixture of righteous fury and disappointment on his face. “You have failed me little one,” and he held up his fingers “Twice. Must I remind you of our deal.”
Suddenly her uncle snapped his fingers. The little girl looked down at her fingers, as they began to shrivel up and die, she felt her face as it fell to wrinkles. “Was I not specific,” Her uncle roared, “Did I not make myself clear. They would die so you would live forevermore a child.” The little girl cried out in agony as she lost her youth. She felt her hair fall out of her scalp, teeth began to loosen and choke up her mouth. She began to pull herself to the feet of her uncle. He looked down at her in disgust. Then he snapped his fingers, and she returned to her youth. She fell back asleep as her uncle picked her up.
He brought her outside to the woods. He grabbed a bunny along the way, and calmly skinned it down. Then another, and another. He sewed the bunnies fur together, and through this he made a suit. He stuffed the little girl in with care, then brought her to the well. Screams came from the suit of bunny fur, as they got closer and closer. And then he tossed her in. Despite what she had thought, there was no end to this tunnel. Her screams grew quieter and quieter as she fell further and further, and got hotter and hotter. To where she belonged, where she should have been a long time ago.
Her uncle wiped his hands, spit two times, then smiled. He left the well behind, and returned home to wait. For a new niece and nephew to arrive. For a new one willing to sacrifice. He had everything to offer, for the smallest of prices. For he is everyone’s uncle. Your Uncle Scratch