Chapter 2

Although that tale always had a sad ending, grandpa retold it time and time again. His intention was to encourage his dear granddaughter. He wanted her to hold onto hope. He would often tell her; 'It is when we let go of hope that we truly die.'

"That curse will break when you find someone who will truly love you. And love you enough to give up his own life for yours", grandpa encouraged her.

"Grandpa, look at me. Even a crazy man turns away", Buhle argued, almost getting emotional.

She usually handled herself well when being teased and taunted by her fellow youngsters in the kingdom. She never cried about it; she felt that crying would not change her predicament. Buhle preferred acting fine about it. That way, she felt that she would not worry her grandpa and her best friend.

"Buhle, you are not desperate. Do not even look at the madmen", grandpa declared.

Buhle shook her head with disapproval. The young lady felt that grandpa was holding onto false hope. She was convinced that he only acted hopeful, but deep down, he was dying with anguish. Buhle often heard her grandpa sneak into the wood some nights, to go to the mountains and plead with the goddess of mercy. He would often chant and cry saying; 'Let me carry these burdens. Let me bear the pain. If it is death, I shall have it. Life is beautiful, let Buhle live it. She's young, she's a child.'

The following day, Buhle and Grandpa were at their farm. They sowed seeds into the fresh ground with wishes of generous harvest buried beside these seeds. Minenhle, Buhle's best friend, joined the two. Minenhle's name was shortened to Mini, that was what she was called.

"Sowing season already begun?", Mini remarked walking closer to the two.

"Yes. The sowing season has begun", Buhle responded.

Grandpa chimed in; "Oh, it was such a great yield in last year's harvest season."

"Aah, then may this year bring us all the same yield as the last. Perhaps even a better yield", Mini said enthusiastically.

A short series of small talk and chuckles followed.

"My grandpa. How is my grandpa doing on this marvellous morning?", Mini wanted to know. she had a charm to her. That enabled her to get along with everyone in the kingdom. She was also famous for being the child of the artistic fashion designer in the kingdom.

"I am in my greatest health, my child. What of your mother? Is she well?", said grandpa.

"Well, she manifest signs of recovery. Mother took your advice and went to see the traditional healer that lives up the mountain", Mini responded to grandpa's question.

"Oh?" grandpa was delighted to hear.

"Yes. It was a mere cold. She received some herbs from the Healer."

Grandpa was happy to hear Mini's great news of her mother's recovery. He also wanted to know how Mini was coping. To which, she replied positively.

Mini was like a second granddaughter to grandpa. He loved her as much as he loved his precious Buhle. Mini took a bag of seeds and joined the sowing process. That lasted for hours. In between, they took turns going on short breaks. At midday, they all sat down together under a tree and feasted on the lunch grandpa had brought in the morning. At the end of their meal, they decided to sit a little longer under the shade.

"Buhle, have you heard?" asked Mini.

"Heard what?"

"About the Prince. The caterpillar has become a butterfly", Mini responded.

"Oh?" Buhle prompted.

Mini added; "And he has become such a beautiful butterfly."

Grandpa got up; "I should return to farming" he said and moved on.

"Come on now, you know what this means", Mini nudged the seemingly uninterested Buhle.

Buhle sat there, looking unmoved and being a kill-joy in Mini's eyes.

"Yes", Buhle responded. "He will be choosing a future Queen."

"Yes!" Mini exclaimed with excitement on her face. "They say, he is a gallant, with muscles resembling a beast. But has a beautiful butterfly persona, laced with gracefulness. 'He is no longer a little boy', they say", Mini's eyes glistened with delight.

Poor Mini was speaking to an uninterested Buhle, but that did not dull her happiness. She continued;

"He is ripe and ready to know a woman. And unlike many of these young men in the village, the Prince is untouched. Untainted. He is pure."

With that, Buhle became grossed out by Mini's choice of description. She tried standing up to leave, but Mini grabbed her, pulling her down with a mischievous face. Buhle thought she should speak up;

"They did not use such words."

"Oh no, but they did! The Prince is innocent. He is pure and complete. Oh! Speaking about him arouses passion within me", argued Mini, still very much aroused.

"Oh", Buhle responded, unmoved.

"Will you stop saying 'Oh'! The Prince will be parading the streets tomorrow. All the maidens of the kingdom should assemble after the third croak of the crock. I shall ask mother to make something for you and I to wear. She will make us the most precious lilies of the kingdom tomorrow, you'll see."

"Do not bother yourself, Mini. Tomorrow at that time I will be here doing what will put food in my mouth and clothes on my back", ruining the mood, Buhle spoke. She had no desire in being seen by The Prince.

"You stupid child! If you marry The Prince, you will not only have endless food supply; you will eat because you like it, not because you need it. And as for clothes… you will wear because you like them, they are pretty. You will live in vanity. So, think wise. This is for your future. And besides, farming can be done another day. Actually, I know for a fact that grandpa will be more than honoured to do the farm work alone tomorrow", Mini said.

The girls both turned to grandpa, who had been listening in on the conversation. He nodded with a big smile. It would bring him joy if Buhle would go with the other girls to see The Prince.

After a moment of hesitation, thinking about it, Buhle finally said; "I shall not. I will not give myself to your Prince and give him something to laugh about."

"Do not speak so ill, Buhle!", Mini scolded her friend.

Adamant, Buhle added;

"Fellow maidens will find amusement at my presence there. Even suitors of those maidens will frown no more over the potential of losing their lovers to The Prince. They will roar in laughter. Go, my friend. Find love. And come tell me all about it."

Later on in the evening, Buhle accompanied Mini home with bags of different vegetables taken from grandpa's kitchen. Grandpa was next to the kitchen, at the back of the house. With a wooden stick, he stirred the three-legged pot that sat simmering over a live fire. The kitchen was not where cooking took place, it was rather a storage for food, cooking tools, cutlery and fire wood.

Mini and her mother were like a family to Buhle and her grandpa. In fact, Buhle and her grandpa shared some of their farm yield for every harvest season with Mini and her mother.

Mini's mother had no farm, but she was an intelligent woman with a good eye for business. She was talented as well. With her hands, she sew the most beautiful clothes in the kingdom. Even the royal family adored her skill, they and the nobles bought from her occasionally. On an average day, her customers were the general public. Mini's mother sold the clothes she made and some of the crops she received from Buhle's grandpa. Twice a month, she went straight to Buhle's house and gave some money to grandpa as a token of appreciation. During half the night and on weekends, she sewed and tailored the clothes. And then, during the day, she went to the market place to sell them. On some occasions, she made clothes for Buhle and her grandpa, more especially Buhle; she was a growing child. It brought her pleasure to be able to be there in some way for Buhle as she grew.

The union between the two families began when Buhle and Mini's mothers were very close friends in their childhood. For that reason, grandpa saw Mini's mother as his own daughter and Mini as his granddaughter.