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Once, there was an Evil Troll who worked as a blacksmith deep in the mountains. One day, the troll set out to make his penultimate work, a Mirror Painting. Taking all the colors of the world, he placed them inside the glass, creating a new world entirely. But, no matter how hard he worked at it, he could not seem to get it right. Finally, infrustration, he desended into the Human Town to ask an older fortune teller why he could not finish his painting. The Fortune Teller told him: 'You have no love. You cannot make anything beautiful without giving something beautiful in return.' The troll, angered by the old woman's words, stomped back up to his dark mountain. He could make something beautiful! No matter what she said! No Troll needed love. However, as he was climbing his dark mountain, he found a little girl lost among the snow. She was a beautiful thing, with hair like ebony stone and eyes as blue-white as the full moon. However, she'd been frozen cold, her red lips tinged deathly frost. Enchanted by the child, the Troll took her into his arms and brought her back to the cave, slowly nursing her back to health. As her body melted, so did the Troll's heart. He had fallen in love with the girl. When she awakened, the last drops of winter left the Troll's heart. He begged her to stay with him, never leave his side, and the lass agreed, for she ahd no family and home of her own. They were very happy for a very long while, and he forgot all about the painting. However, as spring turned to summer, summer to fall, and winter finally came back 'round, they were visited one night at midnight be the coldest of storms. As the windows rattled and the kettled whistled, The Troll and the Girl heard three knocks at the door. She went to the door. 'Do not answer it'. Said the Troll. 'Evil things lurk on dark nights like this'. The Girl pulled away. Again, three knocks, and she went to the window, peeking out into the dark storm. 'Do not answer it'. Said the Troll. 'Best to let the winter be'. Later, the Troll went to sleep, the fire crackling softly and their little cave alit with light. The Girl sat by the firside, reading, as again, came the three knocks. Cautisously, she went to the door. 'Who is it?' Asked the girl. 'Only me'. Said the voice of a little, old lady. 'Just a little oldy lady who wishes to come in from the cold'. The Girl remembered to warnings of the Troll. 'Ah'. She told the knocker. 'But I know you may also be a Devil who has come to eat me'. And she went back to reading by the fireside. One last time, came the three knocks, and this time, the little old lady's voice spoke first. 'Ah, but won't you just let me warm myself by the fireside for a little while? I promise to be no trouble. In return, I'll give you the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.' The girl, carefully went to the doorway. 'And how will I know yuo won't eat me?' 'I do not eat little girls.' Said the little old lady voice laughing. Very, very carefully, the Girl opened the doorway a crack. The fire blew out, the pots and pans rattled, the chairs fell over, and the windows shook so hard she thoguht they would break into millions of peices. And then a hand as transclucent as crystal curled around her wrist in an icy cold grip, and pulled her into the storm. The Troll was not quick enough from bed to save the Girl, and he fell onto his knees in the howling storm and wept until sun peeked over the horizon and burned away the winds. When he finally returned inside, he did not eat or sleep for days. He could not muster the strength to walk or stand. Instead, he sat at his easal, and placed into the glass all the Colors of the World. Thw whites and blues and blacks of winter, the greens and pinks of spring, the yellows and golds of summer, the deep reds of autumn. The Color of Love, the Color of Fear, the Color of Sadness. It was the most gorgeous work of art the world had ever seen.
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