The first story I thought was one from childhood that was in a thin mass market “Golden” book with a shiny metallic spine. There were three sisters, who each, in turn, encountered a hag at the well. The first sister could see the hag was in need of help to obtain a drink. Being humble and kind, this sister helps fetch water and in return for her service the sister is given a gift so that any time she speaks, roses, sparkly gems, and pearls come out of her mouth. The other two sisters are the jealous type and each in turn goes to the well to seek the wish granting hag. These two are demanding of lavish magic to make them rich and beautiful. Instead, for their haughtiness, they are condemned to have snakes and toads and lizards flow whenever they try to speak. I may not have the story quite right but the illustrations are vivid in my mind. I try to be careful about what I let out of my mouth, sometimes it’s roses but sometimes its creepers!
A family story that came to mind, well not really a story of my family, but something passed down from the Irish side: There is a prince riding through the countryside, looking for a bride. He stops at various crofts along his way and asks of the maidens, breadcrumbs for his horse. The maiden in our story tells the prince, regretfully, she has no leftover crumbs to give. She’s the one he takes back to the palace because clearly, she keeps a tidy kitchen.
How would I rewrite the story or what other stories beckon me now? I wouldn’t be so hard on the demanding sisters, I’d probably give them a job in management. As for the woman with no breadcrumbs, I’d inform her that she had a choice, that she could keep her kitchen for herself, and be messy if she wanted.
I read a story a few years ago, The Mermaid’s Sister, by Carrie Anne Noble. There’s a mermaid in a traveling carnival, slowly dying because she’s been away from the open ocean for too long. Her energy is draining slowly away while her sister chaperones her on the journey to the sea. There are, of course, delays. I don’t quite remember how the story ends. What resonates is that I feel like both sisters, the mythic me longing for some sort of essential nurturing freedom and also the sister who breaks trail to take care of the mythic self.
What you may be surprised to know about my other mycelial networking is that is that I’ve been a student and practitioner of Astrology since my pre-teens. That I’m very in touch with my psychic senses and have spent time as an energetic reader and healer. For you Cathy: I am also a student of Robert Moss, Active Dreaming! I’ve been writing down my dreams since I was around 20, it’s the most consistent practice I have.
Seasoned 
That first story is very familiar to me Linda, I am trying to remember where I heard it. Likewise fascinated to hear more of your mycelial networkings, I too have kept dream diaries since my early teens, it was a huge practise for me that waxes and wanes. I am intrigued by all that you’ve written above it’s so fascinating to learn more about each other’s lives. I’m definitely looking up The Mermaids Sister, it reminded me of the Selkie stories.
The words “essential nurturing freedom” jumped into my pocket from your writing as words for me to roll around and explore. I think a dream I had last night was prompted by these words.
Thanks so much for the stories, and your revelation about your dream and astrology work, your psychic senses, and energetic reading and healing work. This is so interesting and thank you for sharing! I’m interested in intuitive and psychic sensing and energy. I’ve kept dream journals off and on for years. Quite fascinating!
Oh Cathy I love when you wrote ‘jumped into my pocket from your writing’ as I turn your words I shall carry too as I’ve been playing with sewing a 17th century pocket.