Many, many years back, in a place full of magic, there lived a man and a woman who were married. The man and woman did not love one another or anything else. The man was a wood man and often spent days alone in the wood. One day the man spent more time in the wood and he became lost. After days and days he grew hungry and weak. When he thought for sure he was going to die a tall wizard appeared before him. The man did not know the wizard had placed a spell on him, making him get lost, but he did.  The wizard smiled at the man in a friendly way and said to him, "I can show you the way out of the woods, if you give me the one thing you love most in the world."  Since there was nothing that the man loved, he said yes at once. The Wizard showed the man the way home and then disappeared into the wood. The man and woman lived well for many years and the man never told his meeting to the wizard and after a time, he too forgot about his promise.   In time the woman gave birth and the man had a daughter who he loved. One day the wizard came to the door to take the girl, making the man remember his promise. The man was very sad to lose his daughter. But in the end he had to give her over to the wizard. The wizard was bad and locked the girl away in a cave. Every day the girl grew to be prettier and smarter. Every day the Wizard asked if the girl would marry him, but he was mean and she would not marry him. And every time the girl said no, the wizard would find a new way to make her sad. But the girl had found a secret flower that was very beautiful.  "If you marry me I can let you out."  "There is a lovely bit of sunlight that comes in through the rocks. I am very happy here in my cave." The girl said. The wizard became angry and steam poured from his eyes  He blocked out the sun so the girl lived only in darkness. Still the girl said no. The wizard came back again and told the girl, "If you marry me I can let you out." The wizard became angry and steam poured from his mouth  "There is a lovely stream of water that comes in through the rocks. I am very happy here in my cave." The girl said. The wizard became angry and steam poured from his ears  He blocked out the water so the girl lived only in dry sand. Still the girl said no. The wizard came back again and told the girl, "If you marry me I can let you out."  Again, the girl only said "There is a soft wind that comes in through the rocks. I am very happy here in my cave." The wizard became angry and steam poured from his ears and fire came out of his eyes  So the Wizard blocked out the wind and left the girl in a hot cave with no air. But the girl would still not marry him. The wizard became so angry he turned to flame and burned up. The girl was free and went down to her flower only to find it was gone. Instead she found a handsome prince.   "I thank you my lady," he said, "for saving me from the evil wizard. In return you may come live in my palace with me and be happy."  The girl said yes. In time they came to love one another and got married and lived happy together. Who was lost in the woods?
the man The Prince The Wizard The Woman