Beyond the Mist
by Katharine Pyle · from As the Goose Flies
Adapted Version
Ellen and her big Gander were lost. A thick, white mist was all around them. Ellen could not see a thing. The Gander could not see a thing. They heard only the Gander's wings beat. It was very cold and still. They felt very lost in the mist.
The Gander flew on and on. He felt scared in the mist. "I fly in circles," he said to Ellen. Ellen thought of her small horn. A huntsman gave it to her. She put the horn to her lips. She blew the horn loudly.
Ellen blew the horn. No sound came back. She blew it a second time. Still, no sound came. She took a deep breath. She blew it a third time. Then, a small sound came back. The Gander flew to the sound. They left the white mist. They saw a big, empty desert.
A Boy stood up from rocks. He was a young boy. The Boy asked, "Did you blow the horn?" Ellen said, "Yes, we were lost." The Boy said, "This is Magic People's land." Ellen looked all around
Original Story
Beyond the Mist
"Oh how cold and still and gray," cried Ellen. They were in the very heart of the mist. She could hear the steady beat of the gander's wings, but the grayness around was so thick that she could see nothing but the dim outline of his neck before her. She would not have known whether they were moving at all if it had not been for the stir of air against her face.
"Mistress, do you see light before us?" asked the gander.
"No, nothing but the grayness."
"One might travel around and around in this mist, and yet never find one's way out," said the gander half to itself.
On and on it flew. "Is there no light before us yet?" it asked again, and its wings seemed to flag.
"No, there is nothing."
"Can you hear any sound?"
Ellen listened. "Nothing but the beating of your wings."
"Mistress, I no longer know whether I am flying forward or not. For all I can tell I may be going around in a circle."
The child looked helplessly about her.
"I wonder if I were to blow upon the horn the huntsman gave me whether some one would hear and answer?" she suggested.
"You might try it."
Ellen raised the horn to her lips and blew. They both listened, but there was no reply.
Again she blew. Still silence.
The third time she drew a deep breath and blew with all her might. The gander stayed his flight to listen, and now, away toward the right hand, there sounded a faint halloo. The gander turned and flew in that direction, and they had gone but a little way when the grayness before them grew lighter. Another moment or so, and they were through the mists and out upon the other side.
But Ellen looked about her in dismay. They were in the midst of a great barren desert. There was no tree nor house in sight, no bird nor living thing.
Yes, there was one thing alive, for just as Ellen thought this, something stirred and stood up from a heap of rocks nearby. It was a lad of about twelve or thirteen. At first Ellen thought it was the son of the gardener they had at home; it certainly looked like him. The little girl was very fond of this lad, though people used to say he was queer and not quite right in his mind. He often made up stories and told them to her. She never had felt as glad to see him, though, as she felt then. When she went closer, however, the lad did not seem to know her, so she wondered whether it was the gardener's son after all. It certainly looked like him.
"Was that you blowing a horn?" asked the lad.
"Yes; we were lost in the mist and wanted to get out, but we wanted to get out on the side where the Queerbodies live."
"Well, this is it."
Ellen looked about her. "But where are they? I saw their shadows on the mist."
The lad laughed. "Oh that's nothing. Why, I used to see their shadows against the sky even when I was at home, but you'll have to travel far from here before you find them. I suppose you have a compass."
"No. What for?"
"To find your way across the desert. Now I have a compass all right, but I'm so tired I can't go a step further." The lad paused and looked at the gander. "I don't suppose your gander could carry double?"
"No, I couldn't," answered the gander.
"Well, I didn't think you could, but it's too bad, for I could have told you how to go. If I only had brought anything to begin with I'd make something to ride on; but I didn't know the journey would be so long and weary."
"Do you mean," said Ellen, "that if you had anything to begin with you could really make something to ride on?"
"Oh yes. Almost everybody, before they start out for the Queerbodies', learns to make something out of nothing; but I was in such a hurry to start I only learned to make much out of little, and that's the trouble now."
"Haven't you anything in your pocket to begin on?" asked Ellen, for the lad's pockets were bulging with something that jingled every time he moved.
"Nothing that would do. It must be something that was once alive. Now you don't happen to have such a thing about you as a twig or a chip of wood?"
"No. That is, nothing but a little wooden pig, and it was never alive."
"No, but the wood was when it was growing. Will you let me see it?"
As Ellen drew the toy from her pocket the boy took it from her eagerly. His eyes sparkled. "The very thing!" he cried. "I can make a magnificent riding-horse out of this." Holding the pig to his mouth, the boy began to whisper magic in its wooden ear. As he did so the pig began to grow. It grew and it grew, while Ellen stared in wonder.
When it was too large for the boy to hold in his hands he set it down on the ground. Still he kept whispering in its ear and the pig kept on growing, until at last it was as large as a pony.
When it was that big the lad stopped. "There!" he said to Ellen, looking at the pig with pride, "how is that for a riding-horse?"
"I think it's fine, but I shouldn't call it a riding-horse; I think it's more of a riding-pig."
"All the same," said the lad. "Now the next thing is a bridle. When a magic pig like this once does start going it won't stop for a word. I suppose you haven't anything about you that would serve for a bridle."
"Nothing but this," and Ellen touched the golden chain that the dwarfs had hung about her neck.
"That will do," cried the boy; "give it here." He seemed to feel so sure that Ellen would lend him the chain that she did not know how to say no, so she took it off and handed it to him.
The lad quickly arranged it as a bridle, and then before he mounted the pig he took out his compass and made sure of the direction in which they were to go.
"And now I'm ready," he cried; "follow me."
With that he leaped on the pig's back, and no sooner had he touched it than away it went like the wind. Its blue legs with the pink spots twinkled along so fast that it took all the gander knew to keep up with them.
On and on they went; the wind whistled past Ellen's ears, and the ground sped away beneath so fast that she grew almost dizzy.
The lad, however, did not seem to mind how fast they went. Now and then he settled himself more comfortably on the pig's back, and now and then he took out his compass and looked at it to make sure they were going in the right direction.
After they had gone a long distance in this way he drew rein. "There!" he said, "the desert is passed; but there is a greater danger than it to come."
"What is that?"
"Look!" And the lad pointed.
Ellen looked, and then she saw that what she had thought was a stretch of grass and rocks before them, was really an enormous green and gray dragon that lay stretched in a rocky defile.
His neck and tail were coiled upon the ground; his wings stretched up the rocky walls on each side of him, and their tips were like tall green trees against the sky. Presently he turned his head and Ellen could see his big blinking eyes, each as big as a barrel. He yawned and his mouth was like a red cavern.
Ellen was frightened.
"Suppose he comes at us," she whispered.
"Oh no, he won't pay any attention to us," the lad assured her. "That is, unless we try to go past him, and then he'd snap us up in a twinkling."
"Couldn't we go round?"
"No, this is the only way, right between these rocks."
"I could fly over," said the gander boldly.
The lad laughed. "Fly over! Why look at his wings. He'd catch you in a minute. Have you ever seen a bird after a little butterfly? That's the way he'd catch you if you tried any such tricks as that."
"Then what are we to do?" asked Ellen.
"Wait," answered the lad. "They'll come to feed him after a while; maybe in a week or so; and after he's been fed he always sleeps for ten minutes; then we can safely go past, for nothing will waken him for those ten minutes. You might hit him on the head with an axe and he wouldn't stir."
"A week or so!" cried Ellen in dismay. "Why I can't wait a week or so, I have to be home this evening before dark."
"Well, I don't see what we can do unless you have something to feed him with."
"I have a golden egg. That's all."
"A golden egg!" cried the lad joyfully. "Why didn't you say so before? Why, it's just the thing. Give it to me."
He took the egg from Ellen and slowly rode over toward the dragon. The great creature watched him with its blinking eyes, and when the lad seemed to be coming too near it raised its head and hissed warningly. Ellen trembled, the sound was so loud and terrible, as though a dozen engines were letting off steam all at once.
The lad, however, did not seem at all frightened. He checked the pig and motioned to the dragon to open its mouth. Ellen had seen people motion to the elephant at the Zoo in that same way when they wanted it to lift up its trunk, and open its mouth to have peanuts thrown in.
The dragon seemed to understand, for after the boy had motioned once or twice it opened its great jaws. Then the lad threw the golden egg in, and it seemed just as small a thing for the dragon as a peanut or a currant would to an elephant.
The dragon waited a while with its mouth still open for the boy to throw some more in. As he did not do this, however, it closed its mouth and began to chew the golden egg.
It chewed, and it chewed, and it chewed, and all the while it chewed it seemed to be growing sleepier and sleepier. At last it swallowed the egg, and then its eyes shut tight and it went fast asleep.
The boy turned and beckoned to Ellen. "Come on," he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Oh don't talk so loud," Ellen whispered, coming up to him as fast as she could. "You might waken him."
The lad burst into a shout of laughter that made the little girl tremble. "Not I," he cried. "He'll sleep for nine minutes yet. One minute has gone already."
"Then let's hurry."
The gander flew up and on, and the boy was not slow to follow, riding his blue and pink pig right over the dragon. Ellen was in terror lest it should waken in spite of what the boy had said, but he did not seem in the least afraid. He even seemed to take pleasure in making the pig trot the full length of the dragon's tail just as children take pleasure in walking along a railroad track.
At last they were safely over, and Ellen drew a sigh of relief.
On and on they went, and instead of the rocky walls on either side of them growing lower they grew higher and higher, arching over more and more until at last they met and made a sort of gallery. There was very little light here, and when at last the pig stopped and the gander settled to the ground Ellen had to look twice before she saw that they were in front of a heavily barred door. "Where are we now?" she asked.
The eyes of the boy were flashing with eagerness. "It is the door of the Queerbodies' house," he cried. He sprang from the pig, and, taking hold of the handle, he tried to open it. "Locked!" he added.
Slipping his hand into his pocket he drew from it a whole handful of keys. Then Ellen knew that they were what had jingled every time he moved.
He began to try one key after another, but none of them seemed to fit.
As he was busy in this way a curious roar sounded through the gallery, echoing and re-echoing from the rocky walls. "What's that?" cried Ellen.
"Oh, only the dragon yawning. He must have wakened up," answered the lad coolly, still busy with his keys.
"But won't he follow us?"
"No; he only guards the entrance to the defile."
Finding that none of the keys he first held would open the lock the lad had drawn out another handful; but these were no better than the others. One after another he tried all that he had, but not any would unlock the door. Having tried the last of all, the boy threw it down and sank upon the floor in despair.
"It is no good," he cried. "It is just as I feared. And yet I've been collecting those keys for the last seven months."
"Can't you unlock it?"
"No."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I didn't mind the desert or the dragon, but this was what I was afraid of all along."
"Mistress," said the gander, "Where is the key that the lady Fatima gave you? If what she said was true, it should unlock the door."
"Oh yes!" cried Ellen. "I forgot it."
With eager fingers she took the key from her pocket and pressed it into the lad's hand. "Try this," she said.
Very hopelessly the boy arose and put the key to the lock. His face changed as he found it seemed to go in it easily. He turned the key, the lock slipped back, the door opened, and Ellen, following close at his heels, entered at last the House of the Queerbodies.
Story DNA
Moral
Sometimes the solution to a problem lies in unexpected places or forgotten gifts.
Plot Summary
Ellen and her gander get lost in a thick mist but are guided out by a horn to a barren desert. There, they meet a mysterious boy who transforms Ellen's wooden pig into a magical riding animal using her golden chain. Together, they navigate the desert, confront a giant dragon by feeding it Ellen's golden egg, and finally reach the heavily barred door to the Queerbodies' house. When the boy's many keys fail, Ellen remembers a special key given to her by Lady Fatima, which effortlessly opens the door, allowing them to enter their destination.
Themes
Emotional Arc
uncertainty to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Katharine Pyle was an American author and illustrator known for her fairy tales and children's books, often drawing on traditional European folklore elements.
Plot Beats (13)
- Ellen and her gander are lost in a thick, disorienting mist, unable to see or hear anything beyond themselves.
- The gander expresses fear of flying in circles, prompting Ellen to blow a horn given to her by a huntsman.
- After two failed attempts, Ellen blows the horn a third time, and a faint halloo guides them out of the mist into a barren desert.
- They encounter a mysterious boy, resembling Ellen's gardener's son, who claims this is the land of the Queerbodies but says they must travel far to find them.
- The boy, unable to travel further due to tiredness, reveals he can make things from objects that were once alive, but he has nothing to start with.
- Ellen offers her small wooden pig, which the boy magically transforms into a large, blue and pink riding pig using her golden chain as a bridle.
- The boy, Ellen, and the gander ride the pig at high speed across the desert, guided by the boy's compass.
- They encounter a colossal, sleeping dragon blocking a rocky defile, which the boy explains will only sleep for ten minutes after being fed.
- Ellen provides her golden egg, which the boy throws into the dragon's mouth, causing it to chew, grow sleepy, and fall fast asleep.
- They quickly pass the sleeping dragon, with the boy confidently riding the pig over its body, despite Ellen's terror.
- They arrive at a heavily barred door, the entrance to the Queerbodies' house, which the boy tries to open with his extensive collection of keys, but none fit.
- As the boy despairs, the gander reminds Ellen of a key given to her by Lady Fatima.
- Ellen produces the special key, which the boy uses to easily unlock and open the door, allowing them to finally enter the House of the Queerbodies.
Characters
Ellen ★ protagonist
A small, delicate child, likely of European descent given the story's origin. Her build is slight, and she appears to be around 8-10 years old. No specific distinguishing features are mentioned, suggesting a typical, innocent appearance for a young girl.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for travel, but not explicitly described. Given the context of a fairy tale, perhaps a modest linen or wool dress, possibly with an apron, in muted colors like blue, green, or brown, typical of a European child's attire.
Wants: To find her way out of the mist and reach the land of the Queerbodies, and ultimately to return home.
Flaw: Her youth and inexperience make her easily frightened and reliant on others. She can also be forgetful of important items.
She starts as a frightened, passive passenger and grows into a more active participant, contributing solutions and overcoming her fears, especially when facing the dragon.
Fearful, curious, resourceful (suggests using the horn), trusting (lends her chain), and a little forgetful (forgets the key). She is easily dismayed but also quick to hope.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young European girl, around 8-10 years old, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has fair skin, a round, innocent face, and light brown hair tied back simply. She wears a modest, long-sleeved blue linen dress with a simple white apron over it, and sturdy brown leather shoes. Around her neck is a delicate golden chain, and she holds a small, ornate golden horn in her right hand. Her expression is a mix of curiosity and slight apprehension. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Gander ◆ supporting
A large, powerful gander, capable of carrying a child on its back for long distances. Its wings are strong, beating steadily. No specific color is given, but ganders are typically white or gray with orange beaks and feet.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To protect Ellen and help her reach her destination, and to navigate safely through dangerous territories.
Flaw: Its physical limitations (cannot carry double, vulnerable to larger predators like the dragon).
Remains a steadfast and loyal companion, providing transport and advice, but doesn't undergo significant personal change.
Loyal, protective, persistent, cautious (in the mist), and sometimes bold (offers to fly over the dragon). It is a reliable companion.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, majestic white gander with strong, broad wings, an orange beak, and bright, intelligent eyes. It stands on two orange webbed feet, looking forward with a vigilant expression. Its feathers are pristine white and well-groomed. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Lad ◆ supporting
A boy of about twelve or thirteen, with a build that suggests a life of activity, though he claims to be tired. He is described as looking like the gardener's son Ellen knows, implying a common, perhaps slightly rustic, European appearance. His pockets are notably bulging.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing, likely worn and dusty from travel in the desert. His pockets are notably bulging, suggesting he carries many small items. Perhaps a tunic and trousers in earthy tones, with sturdy shoes, typical of a common boy in a European setting.
Wants: To reach the Queerbodies' house and open its door, driven by a long-standing quest to collect keys.
Flaw: His reliance on specific magical methods ('make much out of little') and his despair when his own methods fail. He can also be a bit overconfident.
He starts as a knowledgeable guide but faces a moment of despair when his own keys fail. He learns to accept help from Ellen, ultimately achieving his goal with her assistance.
Resourceful, clever, confident, a bit mischievous, knowledgeable about magic and the land of the Queerbodies, but also prone to despair when faced with an insurmountable obstacle.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young European boy, around 12-13 years old, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has fair skin, a slightly tanned and dusty complexion, and a round, intelligent face with sparkling brown eyes. His light brown hair is a bit disheveled. He wears a simple, worn brown linen tunic, loose-fitting grey trousers, and sturdy leather boots. His pockets are visibly bulging with various small, metallic objects. He holds a small, brass compass in his right hand. He has a confident, slightly mischievous grin. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Dragon ⚔ antagonist
An enormous green and gray dragon, with a coiled neck and tail, and wings so vast they stretch up rocky walls like tall green trees. Its eyes are as big as barrels, and its mouth is a red cavern when open.
Attire: None, as it is a creature.
Wants: To guard the entrance to the defile and to be fed.
Flaw: Its predictable sleep cycle after eating, which can be exploited.
Serves as a static obstacle that is overcome through cleverness rather than direct confrontation. It does not change.
Lethargic, territorial, easily lulled to sleep by food, but dangerous when awake and guarding its territory.
Image Prompt & Upload
An enormous, ancient green and gray dragon, scaled and powerful, lying stretched out in a rocky defile. Its long, serpentine neck is coiled, and its vast, leathery wings are spread, their tips reaching high like ancient trees. Its head is turned slightly, revealing large, blinking eyes the size of barrels, with vertical pupils. Its mouth is a deep, red cavern. The dragon's scales are a mottled mix of dark green and stone gray, giving it a camouflaged appearance against the rocks. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Riding Pig ◆ supporting
Initially a little wooden pig toy, it transforms into a creature as large as a pony. It has blue legs with pink spots, suggesting a whimsical, toy-like appearance even in its enlarged form.
Attire: Wears a golden chain as a bridle.
Wants: To carry its rider wherever directed, once a bridle is applied.
Flaw: Requires a bridle to control its speed and direction; cannot be stopped by words alone.
Serves as a magical mode of transport, remaining consistent in its abilities and appearance.
Obedient, fast, and tireless once set in motion. It is a magical construct, so it lacks true personality beyond its function.
Image Prompt & Upload
A pony-sized, sturdy wooden pig, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. Its body is a natural, light wood color, but its legs are painted a vibrant blue with playful pink spots. It has a simple, carved wooden snout and small, dark, painted eyes. Around its head, serving as a bridle, is a delicate golden chain. It has a sturdy, blocky form, characteristic of a magically enlarged toy. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Mist
A thick, pervasive grayness that obscures all sight, making it impossible to discern direction or movement. The air is still and cold.
Mood: Disorienting, isolating, eerie, uncertain, claustrophobic
Ellen and the gander are lost within the mist, unable to find their way out until Ellen blows her horn, leading them to the desert.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, impenetrable gray mist stretches in every direction, so thick it creates a sense of utter isolation. The air is still and heavy, with no discernible horizon or ground. A faint, almost imperceptible stir of air suggests movement, but nothing else is visible. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Barren Desert
A vast, desolate landscape with no trees, houses, birds, or any other living things in sight, save for a lad emerging from a heap of rocks. The ground is likely sandy or rocky.
Mood: Desolate, vast, lonely, exposed, challenging
Ellen and the gander emerge from the mist into this desert, where they meet the lad who helps them on their journey to the Queerbodies' land.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, sweeping vista of a barren, sun-baked desert. The ground is a mix of pale, cracked earth and scattered, weathered sandstone rocks, stretching endlessly under a clear, pale blue sky. No vegetation or water is visible, emphasizing the desolation. The air shimmers faintly with heat. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Rocky Defile (Dragon's Lair)
A narrow passage between towering rocky walls, where an enormous green and gray dragon lies coiled. The dragon's wings stretch up the rocky walls, their tips resembling tall green trees against the sky. The defile is the only way forward.
Mood: Dangerous, imposing, awe-inspiring, tense
Ellen, the gander, and the lad encounter a massive dragon blocking their path. They must feed it a golden egg to pass safely while it sleeps.
Image Prompt & Upload
A deep, narrow rocky defile cuts through a vast desert landscape. The towering, jagged sandstone walls rise steeply, casting long shadows. At the bottom, a colossal green and gray dragon is coiled, its scales blending with the rock. Its immense wings are spread, their tips reaching high up the sheer rock faces, resembling ancient, gnarled trees against the bright sky. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Gallery to Queerbodies' House
A dark, enclosed passage formed by rocky walls that grow higher and higher until they arch overhead, creating a natural gallery. Light is scarce here, leading to a heavily barred door at its end.
Mood: Mysterious, foreboding, enclosed, expectant
After passing the dragon, they enter this gallery which leads directly to the heavily guarded entrance of the Queerbodies' house. Ellen uses her special key to open the door.
Image Prompt & Upload
A long, dark, natural rock gallery, where ancient, weathered sandstone walls rise dramatically and arch overhead, almost meeting to form a tunnel. The ground is uneven, strewn with loose pebbles. Very little natural light penetrates, creating deep shadows and a sense of enclosure. At the far end, a massive, rough-hewn wooden door, heavily barred with dark iron, stands as a stark barrier. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
