On a warm summer night, Rhiannon took a walk. Near the river of the back roads she came upon an old shack where an old woman lived, who the town people called her The Night Witch. Who would come out in the night and kill you.

           Rhiannon didn't believe the town people. All they like to do was gossip, if you didn't fit in. She got near the shack and saw the windows hanging out and the door half broken. She felt sad for the old woman, and as she got near she heard the dog start to bark and the old woman came out yelling---

           "Get out or I'll kill you!"

           Still, Rhiannon wasn't scared and walked even closer to the shack. When she got near, she saw the dog and he was half blind and the woman standing there with a shovel in her left hand and the lantern in the other.

           "Who are you, and what do you want here with me?"

           Rhiannon said, "I mean no harm. My name is Rhiannon, and I live in the back roads of you. I couldn't go to sleep so I go for walks. Like I said, I mean you no harm."

           "I have no visitors come see me so you get out now!"

           "I know your alone and I can't sleep I would like to get to know you better if that's possible?"

           "No go away!"

           The dog still barking and waging his tail at the same time.

           "See, your dog likes me. Why can't you give me a chance?"

           Silence came over the old woman for a second. "I have no friends and that's the way I like it. You hear?"

           Rhiannon went closer and started to pet the old dog. "See, your dog likes me. That's a good sign, isn't it?"

           The old woman put her shovel down and walked back in the house, putting the lantern on the wobbly table.

           "Well, are you coming in? You might as well, you're in the front door."

           Rhiannon took a liking to the old woman fast. It reminded her of her own grandma, who passed a while ago.

           "Thank you. My name is Rhiannon, what's yours?"

           "I know your name. You told me it already."

           The old woman had a smart mouth to Rhiannon, but that didn't stop Rhiannon from liking her.

           The old woman said, "Well, you might as well know my name, it's Claire."

           "Well, finally -- nice to meet you, Claire." Rhiannon said, extending her hand out.

           As they both sat, they got to know each other a little well.

           "Claire, I think your a nice person. I say the town is just wrong."

           "Oh really, what are they calling me now?"

           "They say your a witch and you will kill on sight."

           The old woman couldn't stop laughing and slurred out, "No wonder I have no visitors."

           Then they both laughed and the dog even let out a few little barks.

           "Claire, you can make this shack into a cute cottage with all the spring flowers coming out. What do you say, should we make this into the most enchanted cottage you have ever seen?"

           "Oh child don't let your imagination go wild. This old thing is about to fall."

           "Nonsense! We could have it tip top in no time I guarantee you."

           Rhiannon left the old lady, thinking on her way home how she was gonna fix her home for her. The next day when Rhiannon went to visit Claire the shack was gone and no sign of the old woman. She called out her name all over the place just to hear silence. She thought this was the wrong turn and was gonna head back but when she turned around there was a note pined to the tree. She got the note and read it:

only a few have a heart of gold
therefore you'll be rewarded in the end

           She didn't know what to think until she got into town where she saw the same saying on a church panel.



© 2000 Angela Adame, all rights reserved
 appears here by permission