Tale 72- The Enchanted Chimney Sweep

 Heading down the path, the Traveler came across a small potions stand, set up by an older woman dressed in an old, worn robe. She smiled at the passing wanderer, noticing how she seemed quite tired, and offered for her to rest awhile at the stand. With a flick of her wand, she created another chair, the Traveler realizing this lady was a witch, though the older woman assured her she wouldn’t harm her as she was long retired. “I don’t get visitors often, though. Not many people come down this path anymore.” she lamented, the Traveler quietly listening, before the woman created a tea set out of thin air, handing the Traveler a teacup with a sweet tea inside, and a plate with a little cream bun on it, surprising her. “It knows your favourite food, dearie. Personally, I love myself a hot cross bun.” she giggled, the Traveler also smiling and feeling quite at home, despite the fact they were merely sitting together at an old vendor table. The two began to chatter, the witch explaining she’d been trained at a young age by an old master and worked closely with him for many years, and had many hijinks in her time. She offered to tell the Traveler one of the most humorous ones, the girl agreeing and getting ready to document the tale of ‘the Enchanted Chimney Sweep.’

‘Once, in an old witch’s tower, a little girl found her way in and asked the woman for a potion of flight, begging and begging over and over to soar among the buildings and clouds all around her town. Finally, the woman gave the child the potion, the little girl drinking it and going on an adventure amongst the chimney pots, knocking several over and becoming covered in soot. She flew amongst the stars, before morning came and she had to return home as the potion was wearing off. However, her parents saw her covered in soot and assumed she’d been working as a chimney sweep, the girl trying to explain but neither of them believing her. In order to reign in her silly delusions they put her to work, the girl wishing she had a potion of flight so she could get up the chimneys easier.’

The witch giggled slightly at the memory, before explaining that the girl still visited her often and helped her clean her home, and in return the witch would occasionally take her on broom rides through the sky. As the sun began to set, the Traveler thanked the witch for the tale and departed, the woman disappearing with a flick of her wand and a wink.