Burning Hands and the Fire Fairy
I have told stories at three of my sibling’s weddings as a gift to the happy couple. Now it has become one of the most rewarding aspects of my speaking business. Here is an excerpt from a story I told in December of 2013 at a fantasy themed wedding near Stanford in the fair Cap.
The groom’s surname is ‘Brand’ meaning ‘to burn’. He is a south-African and the bride is from Germany. They met in Namibia. I told the story as part of the ceremony. I began as the groom waited in front for the bride to enter…
Burning Hands and the Fire Fairy
One day in the City of Gold in the Kingdom of the Freedom Sun a boy was born with burning hands.
“How do you know he has burning hands?” the people would ask the old village hag.
Everyone knew that such a gift was given to one boy child every 500 years. They also knew that a gift like that only surfaced once the chosen boy is a man grown.
Then the old hag would gaze into the distance and recall the ancient prophecy: (Music)
“Every 500 years our Freedom Sun must revive, every 1000 years Love must come alive
When 5 and 5 makes 10 Burning Hands and his Fairy will come again.
Lest the flames of Freedom dwindle
and the fires of Love un-kindle”
“We know we know”, the villagers would cry and the old hag would put up a withered hand and chant:
From the man who knows the law and tills the earth, on which our dear sun daily shines
And the woman who can straighten hunched backs and align skew spines
Will come a boy with burning hands
And you will know him by the mark of the Brands”
“The mark of the Brands?” They would ask and she would point a bony finger to the dimple in the boy’s cheek and with hushes and sighs this would settle the matter.
Far from there in the cold North a Fire Fairy was born in a Fir Forest, stepping forth from the heart of a snow flake that fell from the stars.
(Bride enters as music reaches its first cadence. Once Bride has joined Groom in front, the story is resumed)
The rest of the story belongs to the bride and groom and lives in the memories of the guests who could identify themselves and their loved ones in the characters and the details of the story…
“Petro’s story provided a beautiful framework for our non-traditional wedding, reflecting our personalities and inviting people to share into our love story.” – the bride