My earliest memory is of my dad showing me the front door right after a blizzard where the snow was as tall as I was . I had just turned two , or was almost two . I 'm pretty sure the memory of Dad showing me the snow as tall as I am dates to that snowstorm , since I haven 't seen all that many snowstorms where the snow is as deep as I am tall . I mean , who has a dad with a sense of humor like my dad has ? What other dad will suddenly break into song whenever you say something he thinks needs to be sang - and half the time he 's rewriting the song ? What other dad helps YOU rewrite songs ? What other dad takes you to basketball games because he 's the ref ? What other dad can program computers ? What other dad studies the rapture and stuff like that ? So , what does the Bible have to say about Guidance ? I 'll enter the words " guidance " and " guide " into the the search engine on e - sword , which I have downloaded on my computer . I 'll be using the King James Version , because that is the version I 'm used to reading and studying . The first verse I pull up is in Job and God is asking Job if he can guide something . I don 't think it is quite relevant to the search I 'm making . Therefore , I 'll move on to the next verse , ( Psa 25 : 9 ) The meek will he guide in judgment : and the meek will he teach his way . This verse says that God will guide the meek . The Hebrew word here is dârak . According to Strong 's Concordance it means to tread ; by implication to walk ; also to string a bow ( by treading on it in bending ) . So , God will guide the meek like an archer guides an arrow . He sends us where we need to go . Another picture would be a path that has already been drawn out . There is no other path , we just have to walk down it . ( Psa 31 : 3 ) For thou art my rock and my fortress ; therefore for thy name 's sake lead me , and guide me . Here David is asking that God guide him and protect him . The Hebrew word used here is nâhal , meaning , properly , to run with a sparkle , that is , flow ; hence ( transitively ) to conduct , and ( by inference ) to protect , sustain . So guidance , it appears , is not only in sending , but also in protecting . This gives a picture , not merely of sending , but going with and protecting while they go . When God guides us , he sends us , and comes with us . ( Psa 32 : 8 ) I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go : I will guide thee with mine eye . Here God is telling us that he will guide us where we need to go . The Hebrew word used here is yâ ‛ ats , which means to advise ; reflexively to deliberate or resolve . So in this one , he guides by giving counsel . This gives the picture of someone watching and offering advice while the task is being done . God tells us what we need to do . And where do we find his advise ? In the Bible , of course . ( Psa 48 : 14 ) For this God is our God for ever ever : he will be our guide even unto death . God will always guide us ! The word used here is nâhag , which means to drive forth ( a person , an animal or chariot ) , that is , lead , carry away ; reflexively to proceed ( that is , impel or guide oneself ) ; also ( from the panting induced by effort ) , to sigh . This is the picture of someone doing something on their own , with instructions from their guide . ( Pro 11 : 3 ) The integrity of the upright shall guide them : but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them . This says that if we aren 't guided by what we should do , we will destroy ourselves ! The word used here is nâchâh which means to guide ; by implication to transport ( into exile , or as colonists ) . Picture the person behind the steering wheel in a car . If he has integrity , he will be a good driver , follow the traffic rules , have a good driving record . Without integrity , he would not be a man I would like driving me places ! ( Joh 16 : 13 ) Howbeit when he , the Spirit of truth , is come , he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatsoever he shall hear , that shall he speak : and he will shew you things to come . So the Holy Spirit is our guide today . The Greek word used here is hodēgeō , which means to show the way ( literally or figuratively [ teach ] ) . The Holy Spirit teaches us how we need to live . He is all of the things above . He holds our hand and protect us . He shows us our path that we need to go down . He provides us with advice ( whether from the Bible or a mentor ) when we need it . He gives us integrity . ( Act 8 : 31 ) And he said , How can I , except some man should guide me ? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him . This was when Phillip met the Ethiopian Eunuch . The Eunuch is saying that it is impossible to understand the scriptures without someone else guiding and teaching you , for the word used here is the same word used in the previous verse . We have someone to guide us . We have the Holy Spirit . I discovered this Fairy Tale while looking for another one . The king had just awakened from his midday sleep , for it was summer , and everyone rose early and rested from twelve to three , as they do in hot countries . He had dressed himself in cool white clothes , and was passing through the hall on his way to the council chamber , when a number of young nobles suddenly appeared before him , and one amongst them stepped forward and spoke . ' Sire , this morning we were all playing tennis in the court , the prince and this gentleman with the rest , when there broke out some dispute about the game . The prince lost his temper , and said many insulting things to the other , who was playing against him , till at length the gentleman whom you see there struck him violently in the face , so that the blood ran from his mouth and nose . We were all so horrified at the sight , that we should most likely have killed the man then and there , for daring to lay hands on the prince , had not his grandfather the duke stepped between and commanded us to lay the affair before you . ' The fourteenth night had come , and in despair the prisoner went out to take his last walk through the city . He wandered on hardly knowing where he went , and his face was so white and desperate that none of his companions dared speak to him . The sad little procession had passed some hours in this manner , when , near the gate of a monastery , an old woman appeared round a corner , and suddenly stood before the young man . She was bent almost double , and was so wizened and wrinkled that she looked at least ninety ; only her eyes were bright and quick as those of a girl . And since she 's a fairy , she 'll be able to set him free , of course . Wonder what she want him to do for her ? Rescue some princess ? ' Marry you ? ' exclaimed he , ' but - - but - - I am not yet twenty , and you - - why , you must be a hundred at least ! Oh , no , it is quite impossible . ' Left to himself , the full horror of his coming death rushed upon the young man , and he understood that he had thrown away his sole chance of life . Well , if he must , he must , he said to himself , and began to run as fast as he could after the old crone , who by this time could scarcely be seen , even in the moonlight . Who would have believed a woman past ninety could walk with such speed ? It seemed more like flying ! But at length , breathless and exhausted , he reached her side , and gasped out : ' Ah , I thought you would come to your senses , ' answered she , in rather an odd voice . ' We have no time to lose - - follow me at once , ' and they went on silently and swiftly till they stopped at the door of a small house in which the priest lived . Before him the old woman bade the prisoner swear that she should be his wife , and this he did in the presence of witnesses . Then , begging the priest and the guards to leave them alone for a little , she told the young man what he was to do , when the next morning he was brought before the king and the judges . The hall was full to overflowing when the prisoner entered it , and all marvelled at the brightness of his face . The king inquired if he had any excuse to plead for the high treason he had committed by striking the heir to the throne , and , if so , to be quick in setting it forth . With a low bow the youth made answer in a clear voice : ' For four years , you , O king , had been married to the queen and yet had no children , which grieved you greatly . The queen saw this , and likewise that your love was going from her , and thought night and day of some plan that might put an end to this evil . At length , when you were away fighting in distant countries , she decided what she would do , and adopted in secret the baby of a poor quarryman , sending a messenger to tell you that you had a son . No one suspected the truth except a priest to whom the queen confessed the truth , and in a few weeks she fell ill and died , leaving the baby to be brought up as became a prince . And now , if your highness will permit me , I will speak of myself . ' Stanford 's not the prince ! Then there 's no heir ! Who 's going to be king after the King ? I think I 'm going to name the King Reginald ! ' One day , shortly after the death of the queen , ' continued the young man , ' your highness was hunting , and outstripped all your attendants while chasing the deer . You were in a part of the country which you did not know , so seeing an orchard all pink and white with apple - blossoms , and a girl tossing a ball in one corner , you went up to her to ask your way . But when she turned to answer you , you were so struck with her beauty that all else fled from your mind . Again and again you rode back to see her , and at length persuaded her to marry you . She only thought you a poor knight , and agreed that as you wished it , the marriage should be kept secret . ' For some months you visited the cottage every week ; but a rebellion broke out in a distant part of the kingdom , and called for your presence . When next you rode up to the cottage , it was empty , and none could inform you whither your bride had gone . That , sire , I can now tell you , ' and the young man paused and looked at the king , who coloured deeply . ' She went back to her father the old duke , once your chamberlain , and the cross on her breast revealed at once who you were . Fierce was his anger when he heard his daughter 's tale , and he vowed that he would hide her safely from you , till the day when you would claim her publicly as your queen . As he spoke the young man laid the jewels at the feet of the king , and the nobles and the judges pressed round to examine them . The king alone did not move from his seat , for he had forgotten the hall of justice and all about him , and saw only the apple - orchard , as it was twenty years ago , and the beautiful girl playing at ball . A sudden silence round him made him look up , and he found the eyes of the assembly fixed on him . It took some time to discover the whereabouts of the old woman , but at length it was accomplished , and when she arrived at the palace with the equerry , she was received with royal honours , as became the bride of the prince . The guards looked at each other with astonished eyes , as the wizened creature , bowed with age , passed between their lines ; but they were more amazed still at the lightness of her step as she skipped up the steps to the great door before which the king was standing , with the prince at his side . If they both felt a shock at the appearance of the aged lady they did not show it , and the king , with a grave bow , took her band , and led her to the chapel , where a bishop was waiting to perform the marriage ceremony . One night the prince returned after a longer chase than usual , and he was so tired that he went up straight to bed . Suddenly he was awakened by a strange noise in the room , and suspecting that a robber might have stolen in , he jumped out of bed , and seized his sword , which lay ready to his hand . Then he perceived that the noise proceeded from the next room , which belonged to the princess , and was lighted by a burning torch . Creeping softly to the door , he peeped through it , and beheld her lying quietly , with a crown of gold and pearls upon her head , her wrinkles all gone , and her face , which was whiter than the snow , as fresh as that of a girl of fourteen . Could that really be his wife - - that beautiful , beautiful creature ? Guess not . But , as I said last week , it appears to be okay to get married at fourteen in Fairy Tales . Just make sure you wait until you 're older . ' The king of Granada is my father , and I was born in the palace which overlooks the plain of the Vega . I was only a few months old when a wicked fairy , who had a spite against my parents , cast a spell over me , bending my back and wrinkling my skin till I looked as if I was a hundred years old , and making me such an object of disgust to everyone , that at length the king ordered my nurse to take my away from the palace . She was the only person who cared about me , and we lived together in this city on a small pension allowed me by the king . ' When I was about three an old man arrived at our house , and begged my nurse to let him come in and rest , as he could walk no longer . She saw that he was very ill , so put him to bed and took such care of him that by and bye he was as strong as ever . In gratitude for her goodness to him , he told her that he was a wizard and could give her anything she chose to ask for , except life or death , so she answered that what she longed for most in the world was that my wrinkled skin should disappear , and that I should regain the beauty with which I was born . To this he replied that as my misfortune resulted from a spell , this was rather difficult , but he would do his best , and at any rate he could promise that before my fifteenth birthday I should be freed from the enchantment if I could get a man who would swear to marry me as I was . ' As you may suppose , this was not easy , as my ugliness was such that no one would look at me a second time . My nurse and I were almost in despair , as my fifteenth birthday was drawing near , and I had never so much as spoken to a man . At last we received a visit from the wizard , who told us what had happened at court , and your story , bidding me to put myself in your way when you had lost all hope , and offer to save you if you would consent to marry me . I have an AWESOME mom . All other moms PALE in comparison with mine . You see , for one thing , my mom homeschools me . Not all moms will do that . But my mom loves teaching , so she decided that , rather than teaching other people 's children at some school , she 'd teach her own at home . Another thing , my mom OUGHT to be an author herself . She has a gift for storytelling , although she has never gotten any of her books to a publisher . ( and the only one I have my hands on that I COULD get published isn 't finished yet ) Whenever I run myself intg a brick wall on one of my books , I bring it to her , and she USUALLY gets me straightened out . When she can 't , it 's usually because I haven 't explained my problem right . She will be a published author soon , though , as soon as I can get the book I 've cowritten with her finished and published . I love palindromes . I also like saying things spelled backwards . ( My Pen Name is evidence of that ) . Well , one day , I was messing around with various words , and realized that Aim , spelled backwards , was Mia . A name . But it 's also the abbreviation M . I . A . Put everything in a small sauce pan , and heat , stirring constantly . When desired consistency , remove from heat and let cool . Pour over pancakes , waffles or anything else you put syrup on , and Enjoy ! So they took her training wheels off even against her most valiant objections . Then they proceeded to try to teach her how to ride her bike without training wheels . Now , self - image can really effect how you learn things . Since the girl didn 't see herself as ready for the training wheels to come off , she wasn 't . So , once the uncles left , she refused to even touch her bike . Finally , she convinced her Grandfather to put the wheels back on . Her mom told her that , next time the wheels came off , they weren 't going back on . Once upon a time , then , my dear good children , there lived a man . Now this man was really a hundred years old , if not fully twenty years more . And his wife was very old too - - how old I do not know ; but some said she was as old as the goddess Venus herself . They had been very happy all these years , but they would have been happier still if they had had any children ; but old though they were they had never made up their minds to do without them , and often they would sit over the fire and talk of how they would have brought up their children if only some had come to their house . Classic dilemma . Old man and old woman want child . Although , I 'm not sure what to say about the ages . The man was 100 - 120 , but the woman was as old as Venus herself ! How old was she when they got married ? Might that have been a factor in them never having children ? For long he wandered , and wandered , and wandered , but no child did he see ; and one morning his wanderings led him to a forest which was so thick with trees that no light could pass through the branches . The old man stopped when he saw this dreadful place , and at first was afraid to go in ; but he remembered that , after all , as the proverb says : ' It is the unexpected that happens , ' and perhaps in the midst of this black spot he might find the child he was seeking . So summoning up all his courage he plunged boldly in . For some minutes the silence and darkness so appalled him that he stood where he was , not daring to advance one step . Then he made a great effort and went on a few paces , and suddenly , far before him , he saw the glimmer of a light . This put new heart into him , and he directed his steps straight towards the faint rays , till he could see , sitting by it , an old hermit , with a long white beard . Ah , the old hermit in the cave . One thing you should know , hermits are almost always good . I can 't think of a single Fairy Tale where they aren 't , which means they have a better record than Fairy Godmothers - because there are Fairy Tales with bad Fairy Godmothers . The hermit either did not hear the approach of his visitor , or pretended not to do so , for he took no notice , and continued to read his book . After waiting patiently for a little while , the old man fell on his knees , and said : ' Good morning , holy father ! ' But he might as well have spoken to the rock . ' Good morning , holy father , ' he said again , a little louder than before , and this time the hermit made a sign to him to come nearer . ' My son , ' whispered he , in a voice that echoed through the cavern , ' what brings you to this dark and dismal place ? Hundreds of years have passed since my eyes have rested on the face of a man , and I did not think to look on one again . ' . The old man stooped and kissed the feet of the hermit for sheer joy , and left the cave . He made his way through the forest as fast as the darkness would let him , and at length arrived in flowery fields , which dazzled him with their brightness . Suddenly he was seized with a desperate thirst , and a burning in his throat . He looked for a stream but none was to be seen , and his tongue grew more parched every moment . At length his eyes fell on the apple , which all this while he had been holding in his hand , and in his thirst he forgot what the hermit had told him , and instead of eating merely his own half , he ate up the old woman 's also ; after that he went to sleep . One word . BAD IDEA . ( two words , actually ) . When an old hermit gives you an apple and tells you to only eat HALF of it - only eat HALF of it ! When he woke up he saw something strange lying on a bank a little way off , amidst long trails of pink roses . The old man got up , rubbed his eyes , and went to see what it was , when , to his surprise and joy , it proved to be a little girl about two years old , with a skin as pink and white as the roses above her . He took her gently in his arms , but she did not seem at all frightened , and only jumped and crowed with delight ; and the old man wrapped his cloak round her , and set off for home as fast as his legs would carry him . At this wonderful news the old woman flew downstairs , almost tumbling down ill her eagerness to see the treasure ; but when her husband led her to the pail it was perfectly empty ! The old man was nearly beside himself with horror , while his wife sat down and sobbed with grief and disappointment . There was not a spot round about which they did not search , thinking that somehow the child might have got out of the pail and hidden itself for fun ; but the little girl was not there , and there was no sign of her . ' Where can she be ? ' moaned the old man , in despair . ' Oh , why did I ever leave her , even for a moment ? Have the fairies taken her , or has some wild beast carried her off ? ' And they began their search all over again ; but neither fairies nor wild beasts did they meet with , and with sore hearts they gave it up at last and turned sadly into the hut . And what had become of the baby ? Well , finding herself left alone in a strange place she began to cry with fright , and an eagle hovering near , heard her , and went to see what the sound came from . When he beheld the fat pink and white creature he thought of his hungry little ones at home , and swooping down he caught her up in his claws and was soon flying with her over the tops of the trees . In a few minutes he reached the one in which he had built his nest , and laying little Wildrose ( for so the old man had called her ) among his downy young eaglets , he flew away . The eaglets naturally were rather surprised at this strange animal , so suddenly popped down in their midst , but instead of beginning to eat her , as their father expected , they nestled up close to her and spread out their tiny wings to shield her from the sun . Now , in the depths of the forest where the eagle had built his nest , there ran a stream whose waters were poisonous , and on the banks of this stream dwelt a horrible lindworm with seven heads . The lindworm had often watched the eagle flying about the top of the tree , carrying food to his young ones and , accordingly , he watched carefully for the moment when the eaglets began to try their wings and to fly away from the nest . Of course , if the eagle himself was there to protect them even the lindworm , big and strong as he was , knew that he could do nothing ; but when he was absent , any little eaglets who ventured too near the ground would be sure to disappear down the monster 's throat . Their brothers , who had been left behind as too young and weak to see the world , knew nothing of all this , but supposed their turn would soon come to see the world also . And in a few days their eyes , too , opened and their wings flapped impatiently , and they longed to fly away above the waving tree - tops to mountain and the bright sun beyond . But that very midnight the lindworm , who was hungry and could not wait for his supper , came out of the brook with a rushing noise , and made straight for the tree . Two eyes of flame came creeping nearer , nearer , and two fiery tongues were stretching themselves out closer , closer , to the little birds who were trembling and shuddering in the farthest corner of the nest . But just as the tongues had almost reached them , the lindworm gave a fearful cry , and turned and fell backwards . Then came the sound of battle from the ground below , and the tree shook , though there was no wind , and roars and snarls mixed together , till the eaglets felt more frightened than ever , and thought their last hour had come . Only Wildrose was undisturbed , and slept sweetly through it all . ' Who has slain the lindworm ? ' he asked of his children ; there were so many that he did not at first miss the two which the lindworm had eaten . But the eaglets answered that they could not tell , only that they had been in danger of their lives , and at the last moment they had been delivered . Then the sunbeam had struggled through the thick branches and caught Wildrose 's golden hair as she lay curled up in the corner , and the eagle wondered , as he looked , whether the little girl had brought him luck , and it was her magic which had killed his enemy . From that day Wildrose lived like a little princess . The eagle flew about the wood and collected the softest , greenest moss he could find to make her a bed , and then he picked with his beak all the brightest and prettiest flowers in the fields or on the mountains to decorate it . So cleverly did he manage it that there was not a fairy in the whole of the forest who would not have been pleased to sleep there , rocked to and fro by the breeze on the treetops . And when the little ones were able to fly from their nest he taught them where to look for the fruits and berries which she loved . So the time passed by , and with each year Wildrose grew taller and more beautiful , and she lived happily in her nest and never wanted to go out of it , only standing at the edge in the sunset , and looking upon the beautiful world . For company she had all the birds in the forest , who came and talked to her , and for playthings the strange flowers which they brought her from far , and the butterflies which danced with her . And so the days slipped away , and she was fourteen years old . Now , there is a common misconception . Most people think that most Fairy Tale princes find their brides at balls . Not true . Most find their brides . . . up a tree . The trees were so thick and the wood so dark , that he paused for a moment and listened , straining his ears to catch some sound to break a silence which almost frightened him . But nothing came , not even the baying of a hound or the note of a horn . He stood still , and wondered if he should go on , when , on looking up , a stream of light seemed to flow from the top of a tall tree . In its rays he could see the nest with the young eaglets , who were watching him over the side . The prince fitted an arrow into his bow and took his aim , but , before he could let fly , another ray of light dazzled him ; so brilliant was it , that his bow dropped , and he covered his face with his hands . When at last he ventured to peep , Wildrose , with her golden hair flowing round her , was looking at him . This was the first time she had seen a man . Or , at least , the first time she had ever seen a man since she was two . ' Tell me how I can reach you ? ' cried he ; but Wildrose smiled and shook her head , and sat down quietly . The prince saw that it was no use , and turned and made his way out of the forest . But he might as well have stayed there , for any good he was to his father , so full was his heart of longing for Wildrose . Twice he returned to the forest in the hopes of finding her , but this time fortune failed him , and he went home as sad as ever . At length the emperor , who could not think what had caused this change , sent for his son and asked him what was the matter . Then the prince confessed that the image of Wildrose filled his soul , and that he would never be happy without her . At first the emperor felt rather distressed . He doubted whether a girl from a tree top would make a good empress ; but he loved his son so much that he promised to do all he could to find her . So the next morning heralds were sent forth throughout the whole land to inquire if anyone knew where a maiden could be found who lived in a forest on the top of a tree , and to promise great riches and a place at court to any person who should find her . But nobody knew . All the girls in the kingdom had their homes on the ground , and laughed at the notion of being brought up in a tree . ' A nice kind of empress she would make , ' they said , as the emperor had done , tossing their heads with disdain ; for , having read many books , they guessed what she was wanted for . The heralds were almost in despair , when an old woman stepped out of the crowd and came and spoke to them . She was not only very old , but she was very ugly , with a hump on her back and a bald head , and when the heralds saw her they broke into rude laughter . ' I can show you the maiden who lives in the tree - top , ' she said , but they only laughed the more loudly . ' Go with her , ' said the eldest of the heralds at last . ' The emperor 's orders are clear , that whoever knew anything of the maiden was to come at once to court . Put her in the coach and take her with us . ' Oh , what a noise that old woman made as she walked along ! She chattered to herself so fast and clattered her kettle so loudly that you would have thought that a whole campful of gipsies must be coming round the next corner . But when they reached the forest , she bade them all wait outside , and entered the dark wood by herself . She stopped underneath the tree where the maiden dwelt and , gathering some dry sticks , kindled a fire . Next , she placed the tripod over it , and the kettle on top . But something was the matter with the kettle . As fast as the old woman put it where it was to stand , that kettle was sure to roll off , falling to the ground with a crash . Quick as thought , the maiden slid down the smooth trunk of the tree , and stood beside the stupid old woman , to teach her how things ought to be done . But in an instant the old woman had caught up the girl and swung her over her shoulders , and was running as fast as she could go to the edge of the forest , where she had left the prince . When he saw them coming he rushed eagerly to meet them , and he took the maiden in his arms and kissed her tenderly before them all . Then a golden dress was put on her , and pearls were twined in her hair , and she took her seat in the emperor 's carriage which was drawn by six of the whitest horses in the world , and they carried her , without stopping to draw breath , to the gates of the palace . And in three days the wedding was celebrated , and the wedding feast was held , and everyone who saw the bride declared that if anybody wanted a perfect wife they must go to seek her on top of a tree . Honestly . What does he do ? Does he say , " Hi , my name 's Joe , want to go to supper tonight so we can get to know each other , and see if we want to marry each other " . . . nope , he kisses her , puts a dress on her , takes her home , and marries her . I got my first bike when I was six . It was pink . I named it Kimberley after a friend I once had . I rode Kimberley for until I was about 10 or 12 , when a neighbor of my Gpa 's gifted me and my sister each with a new bike . Mine was red , and covered in black squiggly lines , which reminded me of spider webs , so I named it Spider . Unfortunately , it was already borderline too small for me . I wasn 't going to complain , though , Spider was WAY bigger than Kimberley They had also bought a bike for each of them , but , unfortunately , the bike they bought for my Aunt was a size too small . It fit me pretty good , though , so they asked if I wanted to buy it off of them . I managed to scrape enough money together ( and my Gma and Gpa gave me what I couldn 't scrape up ) and was able to buy the bike . It was a purple bike , my favorite color as well as my aunt 's . I decided to name it Violet . I 've been riding Violet ever since . Until last week . My uncle finally looked at it , and told me that I needed a new inner tube ( or whatever the thing that goes inside a bike wheel is called ) . I gave him the money to buy a new one , and he fixed it for me , and now I can ride it again . Beat egg until fluffy . Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth . ( oh , and if you 're using a cast iron griddle , make sure it 's already heating before you start beating up your ingredients . Oh , and make sure you add the keifer to the batter BEFORE the flour and the egg have completely been beat in . . . if you don 't - it 's not pretty . ) For each pancake , take the ladle that comes with silverware sets ( you know , small ladle ) and spoon it onto the griddle . Experiment to see how much batter you like to use . Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges . Turn and cook until golden brown . She decided to get her mom in on the project . Her mom contacted some of the girl 's friends , and invited them over , and provided them with apple juice . Apple juice was good . It looks like tea , but it doesn 't taste nasty . A young man was out walking one day in Erin , leading a stout cart - horse by the bridle . He was thinking of his mother and how poor they were since his father , who was a fisherman , had been drowned at sea , and wondering what he should do to earn a living for both of them . Suddenly a hand was laid on his shoulder , and a voice said to him : You know , one thing I don 't like about Fairy Tales is that they never mention names of the characters . No matter . I guess I 'll name him Fred . That night he rose softly , and left the house carrying the gun with him . ' I will not stay here to be beaten , ' thought he , and he walked and he walked and he walked , till it was day again , and he was hungry and looked about him to see if he could get anything to eat . Not very far off was a farm - house , so he went there , and knocked at the door , and the farmer and his wife begged him to come in , and share their breakfast . ' Ah , you have a gun , ' said the farmer as the young man placed it in a corner . ' That is well , for a deer comes every evening to eat my corn , and I cannot catch it . It is fortune that has sent you to me . ' ' I will gladly remain and shoot the deer for you , ' replied the youth , and that night he hid himself and watched till the deer came to the cornfield ; then he lifted his gun to his shoulder and was just going to pull the trigger , when , behold ! instead of a deer , a woman with long black hair was standing there . At this sight his gun almost dropped from his hand in surprise , but as he looked , there was the deer eating the corn again . And thrice this happened , till the deer ran away over the moor , and the young man after her . On they went , on and on and one , till they reached a cottage which was thatched with heather . With a bound the deer sprang on the roof , and lay down where none could see her , but as she did so she called out , ' Go in , fisher 's son , and eat and drink while you may . ' So he entered and found food and wine on the table , but no man , for the house belonged to some robbers , who were still away at their wicked business . And this is precisely why you should not follow deer that turn into beautiful women . So . . . end of story . Fre - I mean Ian - is dead . Let 's all go home . ' Trust me and eat as you did before , and no harm shall happen to you , ' said she . So Ian ate and drank , and fell sound asleep under the cask . In the evening the robbers arrived very tired , and crosser than they had been yesterday , for their luck had turned and they had brought back scarcely anything . No sooner were their faces touched with the sun 's rays than they were up and off . Then the deer entered and dropped the healing wax on the dead man , and he was as well as ever . By this time he did not mind what befell him , so sure was he that the deer would take care of him , and in the evening that which had happened before happened again - - the four robbers were put to death and the fisher 's son also , but because there was no food left for them to eat , they were nearly mad with rage , and began to quarrel . From quarrelling they went on to fighting , and fought so hard that by and bye they were all stretched dead on the floor . Next day he set out for the church , but the old woman of the cottage had gone before him , and had stuck an enchanted stick called ' the spike of hurt ' in a crack of the door , so that he would brush against it as he stepped across the threshold . Suddenly he felt so sleepy that he could not stand up , and throwing himself on the ground he sank into a deep slumber , not knowing that the dark lad was watching him . Nothing could waken him , not even the sound of sweetest music , nor the touch of a lady who bent over him . A sad look came on her face , as she saw it was no use , and at last she gave it up , and lifting his arm , wrote her name across the side - - ' the daughter of the king of the town under the waves . ' Maybe you should have picked a better cottage to stash him . . . can I call you Elain ? You won 't , suddenly , pop up with another name . Other than Daughter of the King of the town under the . . . did you say waves ? On the following morning the fisher 's son again went to the church , determined that he would not go to sleep , whatever happened . But in his hurry to enter he touched with his hand the spike of hurt , and sank down where he stood , wrapped in slumber . A second time the air was filled with music , and the lady came in , stepping softly , but though she laid his head on her knee , and combed his hair with a golden comb , his eyes opened not . Then she burst into tears , and placing a beautifully wrought box in his pocket she went her way . Nope . It was Elain 's . She 's the one who stashed you with the woman who didn 't like you . By the way , what , exactly , did the woman have against the two of you - and where did she get that Spike of Hurt ? ' I will search the whole world through till I find her , ' cried he , and the dark lad laughed as he heard him . But the fisher 's son took no heed , and off he went , following the sun day after day , till his shoes were in holes and his feet were sore from the journey . Nought did he see but the birds that made their nests in the trees , not so much as a goat or a rabbit . On and on and on he went , till suddenly he came upon a little house , with a woman standing outside it . Now , this is a common Fairy Tale occurrence , too . Find a house with a woman outside . ( Although it 's sometimes a man ) Watch - she 's not going to know , and she 's going to send him to her sister . ' I have a sister who dwells on the road which you must travel . It is a long road , and it would take you a year and a day to reach it , but put on these old brown shoes with holes all over them , and you will be there before you know it . Then shake them off , and turn their toes to the known , and their heels to the unknown , and they will come home of themselves . ' The third sister was very kind , but had no counsel to give him , so he ate and drank and waited till her son came home , after he had sent all the birds to sleep . He thought a long while after his mother had told him the young man 's story , and at last he said that he was hungry , and the cow must be killed , as he wanted some supper . So the cow was killed and the meat cooked , and a bag made of its red skin . Joe , ( which is what I 'm going to call this man ) that 's all you can say . You 're hungry ! And you need the cow killed . And what 's with the bag ? The keeper of the birds drew the string at the top of the bag , and left it to finish his supper , when in flew an eagle through the open door , and picked the bag up in her claws and carried it through the air to an island . There was nothing to eat on the island , and the fisher 's son thought he would die of food , when he remembered the box that the lady had put in his pocket . He opened the lid , and three tiny little birds flew out , and flapping their wings they asked , Mounting the horse he rode into the ground where the horses were assembling for the great race , and took his place among them . Many good beasts were there which had won many races , but the horse of the fisher 's son left them all behind , and he was first at the winning post . The king 's daughter waited for him in vain to claim his prize , for he went back to the wood , and got off his horse , and put on his old clothes , and bade the box place some gold in his pockets . After that he went back to the weaver 's house , and told him that the gold had been given him by the man who had won the race , and that the weaver might have it for his kindness to him . Ian . . . now , I 'm worried about you . The girl you want to marry was WAITING for you . And what did you do ? You rode back home . ' Stop ! stop ! ' she cried , hardly knowing what she said . ' If that man is hanged there is not a soul in the kingdom but shall die also . ' And running up to where the fisher 's son was standing , she took him by the hand , saying , Dirt that the FAIRIES put on him ? This is the first time I ' VE heard of fairies in this Fairy Tale . And dirt usually DOES come off like magic in a bath . But , then , we must remember , these Fairy Tales were originally told to people who didn 't know much about bathing . I am , first a foremost , a Christian . I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was three and a half , and have never regretted the decision . I am secondly the eldest daughter ( and child for that matter ) of a homeschooling family . Third , I am the author of The Bookania Quests , The Ankulen , and The Rizkaland Legends . Fourth , I am a knitter / crocheter / aspiring herbalist . I think that sums me up . Hello ! I promised you a new site for Indie e - Con - and here it is . Just click this image I 'm still working on the main website . . . And , here we are , at the end of Indie e - Con . Well , except for the prizes tomorrow . Stay tuned for that . I 'm currently on the air over at . . . Hello ! I 'm popping in with a fun game . I 'll start , course , and you guys can keep it going . One point per comment , and you can c . . . Hello , and I 'm here today to share the WINNING entry for this year 's Indie e - Con Writing Contest ! WHOOO ! ! ! This story was written by . . .