In 2007 the Rainbow Bridge Project between France and the USA had a contest. This took place at the Leonard De Vinci Junior High School in Ecquevilly. The (5c) class of Alain Bonet particapated in a story idea created by Mr Bonet. It was a fairy tale about a Queen. Children wrote the endings to the idea. There were two story winners listed below.
Unfortunately, Belladora was ill and couldn't attend in real life but worked with Mr Bonet and the class through emails and letters. She is proud to share the work of such gentle words and still has plans of returning to France when possible.
The Tinkerer Queen
A fairy tale
based on an idea by Alain Bonet
Once upon a time, there lived a Queen in her castle. There were so many things she wanted to do, she tried a bit of everything, and sometimes proved to be very talented at it, but always there seemed to be something missing. She tried painting, but images had no depth. She tried sculpting, but the statues couldn't move. She tried writing, but the sounds couldn't be heard. She tried music, but the notes drifted away. So she spent her days, dancing from one thing to another, always looking for something new.
But the people in the land grew worried, because they could see their Queen was not really happy; and so the idea came to them to gather the finest artists in the land and organize a great contest, hoping that among all the different works, something would catch the Queen's fancy and make her feel really fulfilled...
Development by Scheron:
On the day of the contest, all the artists had gathered and were showing their work, but the Queen couldn’t find anything to make her happy; the people of the country worried more and more, and were at their wits’ end.
One day, the Queen went to see a fairy and asked her for a spell to make her forever happy until the end of her days. The fairy told her she would never find a gift of her own, but something would make her happy.
The following day, the Queen went to the village market to buy fresh bread and all sorts of good things. There she met a young woman who talked to her. The Queen bade her farewell, turned and bumped into a young man! The boy was slender and tall; he had beautiful blue eyes, brown hair, a delicate face... everything the Queen loved. She thought her most beloved dream had come true thanks to the fairy.
The young man was no ordinary young man, but a charming prince. The prince and the Queen both fell in love, and the people of the land rejoiced to see their Queen happy. The prince and the Queen lived forever happy!
Development by Julie:
Ten days remained before the contest, and the Queen announced she would organize it herself. On the first day, she made beautiful invitation cards she sent to all the people in the country. On the second day, she looked for a nice big park for her party. On the third day, she ordered an Asian landscape artist to decorate the park. On the fourth and the fifth day she recorded all entries from her people for the competition: there were 6827 of them. On the sixth day, she chose a very elegant dress for those exceptional days to come. Then on the last two days, she made the final arrangements.
The day of the contest dawned, and lots of activities were presented. The Queen noticed lots of problems. About the meat-cooking: all those poor little animals killed; about the dancing: too old; about the pottery: always the same things.
But contestant number 2447 had a completely different activity: she was a mother, and this pleased the Queen tremendously. When the day ended there remained 3380 people still to decide between.
The last day of the contest began. Contestant 5632 was the president of an association that helped the destitute and the Queen fell in love with that young man. All the others contestants went by, but nothing pleased her.
She kept those two ideas in mind. That very evening, she thanked all contestants, and the following day she ordered her household chief to send someone and bring her this charming young man. He arrived at the castle, the Queen invited him to drink tea in the parlour. They talked and talked...
Two days later, the young man came back. The Queen had thought a lot, and volunteered to help him with his association with her huge wealth. She declared:
“Listening to the problems of all those poor people and give them warm meals will keep me busy...”
The young man found that idea terrific. In time all this came to pass, and one fair day the young man asked her for her hand. She agreed with the greatest of pleasure.
Three months after the wedding, she found two children, Maria and John. They had not eaten for days, would drink only a sip of water a day, and were terribly cold. She brought them back to her kingdom.
The Queen, who tinkered less and less, suggested to her husband that they adopt the children, and as he could refuse her nothing, he said yes.
The Queen was now overjoyed: a husband, children, an occupation... From that day on, the people named her “Our happy Mummy Queen!”
The song playing is called "Woods" by the late Jim Hill
Belladora and Alain Bonet
