Wicked Girl – Page 1

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Note: We left for the holidays early this year, and I just didn’t have time to finish my drawings to my satisfaction, much less do any page layouts. So I’ll be adding the unfinished drawings as I tighten up the sketches, and the formatting is going to be pretty loose (it’s probably easier to read this way though). And hey, if anyone is reading, let me know if you’d prefer the text in graphic formatting which is meant to mimic a journal (as with blackberries), or this looser illustrated blog formatting. -Xen

 

miller and his wife had a son and daughter who were grown and overdue to be wed. The boy was handsome as the sun and the girl was beautiful as the moon, but both were lazy and ungovernable. Their names were Lukas and Liesl.

At the New Year, Lukas left open the door to the shed and mice got to the grain. On Easter Day Liesl blew out her eggs, and sent the yolk flying down the back of the lord’s youngest son. Their parents said, be good, you wicked children! Or St. Nicholas will bring you switches and coal on his feast day! Lukas and Leisl laughed and did as they pleased. On Whit Monday Lucas chased dogs into the laundry. On the eve of the Assumption Liesl rang the town bells at midnight. Their parents said, be good, you wicked children! Or Krampus will come to beat you and take you to his lair! Lukas and Leisl laughed and did as they pleased.

On All Saint’s Day, the miller said to his wife, “It’s time to find a bride for Lukas and a husband for Liesl, so we can live in peace.” It was quickly settled. On the first of December, Luke would marry Wilda, the woodsman’s daughter and Brutus, the butcher’s son would marry Liesl. The miller and his wife were happy and set themselves to planning the wedding.

Wilda was a friend to Liesl, but Lukas found her snobbish. Brutus was handsome and well liked, but Liesl thought him stupid and cruel. Lukas, Brutus, and the miller carried benches to the chapel to prepare for the wedding. Liesl and her mother embroidered Wilda’s fine wedding dirndl; Wilda sewed lace onto Liesl’s. When Lukas and Liesl crossed each other’s paths, the brother and sister smiled secretly and nodded to each other. They would do as they pleased.

The wedding day came and Lukas and Liesl stood before the priest with their bride and groom. The priest took one step and scattered a pile of grain that Lukas had left by the alter. He took another step and broke a dozen eggs Liesl had snuck into his robes. He took a third step and the town’s dogs ran barking into the chapel. The priest tried to speak, but the church bells rung and drowned out his voice. Lukas and Liesl fled the alter. As they ran, village children set off fireworks Liesl had gifted them and the priest leapt behind the alter in fright.

The brother and sister reached the back of the church and the doors flung open of their own accord. In stepped the kindly looking St. Nicholas and the half-goat demon Krampus. Lukas and Liesl stopped, eyes wide in surprise.

Krampus leapt forward, pointing at them. “These two wicked ones belong to me!” he announced.

Lukas fell to his knees. “Please!” He begged, “We are not so wicked!”

Krampus laughed and moved to shove them both in his filthy bag, but St. Nicholas restrained him. Krampus scowled at the kindly man but stepped back.

“Is it true, you let the mice get to the grain?” Asked Krampus, leering at Lukas.

The boy blanched. “Forgive me!” He cried.

Liesl frowned. “It’s true he looked after the grain all winter, keeping it safe save for that one day,” she said.

The baker’s daughter Strudel, a plump cheerful girl with dark hair and eyes said, “It’s true! We always had flour enough to make the bread.”

CONTINUE READING

 

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