Betrayed by a Name

Betrayed by a Name

I grew up lonely,

No-one to talk too.

I was just a name in the crowd.

I had green skin, a long nose,

But I was a kindly soul. 

I didn’t have many friends,

And the ones I gained soon left.

They called me ‘ugly, rude, and spiteful.’

What no one ever knew was that I had a secret place,

A sanctuary one might say.

It was home, and where I always wished to stay.

Now children’s lives soon end, as the years drift pass,

But one thing never changed;

I was still lonely.

That all changed when a neighbor made a grave mistake;

He stole from my garden, my home, my sanctuary.

Everyone knew not to do this, yet he was a brave soul;

So I let him keep the small, golden flower:

But only under one condition:

The child his wife would soon bear,

Must be given to me.

Of course the man, fearing for his life,

Would make such a reckless deal. 

He never knew he was dealing with a true,

Powerful, daring witch.

Soon, the baby girl was born,

But the village never rejoiced;

For they knew of his foolish deal.

And, on the third day after the child was born,

I went to claim what was rightfully mine.

Of course, (It was to be expected)

The man refused to give up the child.

So, I gave him one final chance. 

He must guess my name.

Now, my name is one in a million,

Was a true feat of the human mind, and imagination.

And I never believed that a small town man would know what it is.

I was never so wrong.

On the first try, he said “Carla!”

I shook my head.

“Bellatrix?”

His voice cracked when I whispered “No.”

The man had one final chance, then I

Would never be alone again.

He begged me to let him have another try,

After his final guess, but I said no.

I may be kind, but I wanted this child desperately.

“I know!”  The man threw his arms into the air.

“RUMPELSTILTSKIN!” 

I screeched in anger, and despair, but he had succeeded

In my game of riddles.

“Now leave.” 

I dragged my feet, but obeyed his command. 

I, Rumpelstiltskin, was destined to forever   

Be alone.