Funny Friday

The Tale of Griselda (slightly different)

Once there was a good young man who ruled over the peaceful land of Testang. All the people of Testang respected the rule of this man, who was named Walker. However, Walker was unmarried and had no heirs.
Worried, the people of Testang came to Walker, pleading, "Oh, kind master! Although your leadership is beneficient and kind, we have one request of you; please, oh lord, take for yourself a wife so that you will not die without an heir. For if you do so, some strange person may come to rule over us!"
Walker deliberated. "Very well," he replied. "I will take a wife, but on one condition: that I may choose any woman I desire, and none of you will grumble or complain about my choice."
So all the wedding preparations were made. No expense was spared, and the parson stood ready with all the people of Testang on the preordained day.
Then Walker arrived with his bride-to-be. An inaudible wave of shock ran through the crowd as they saw that Walker's choice was not a beautiful princess, not even a fair maiden, but Griselda.
Griselda? they wondered. Griselda, the poorest young lady in the land? Griselda, who barely manages to survive with her poor father?
And indeed, it was Griselda, dazed and confused. Walker had shown up at her door and proposed, and she hadn't quite known what to do. She looked around the hut she shared with her father and said, "Sure. Why not?"
While her mouth said yes, the rest of her didn't quite believe what was happening. But all of a sudden she was standing with Walker before the parson, and mumbling affirmation to some marriage vows.
It all happened so fast, but before she knew it, Griselda ended up with wonderful clothes, a clean room, and a beautiful two year old daughter.
Then, one day, Bernie came to Griselda while she was with her daughter. Bernie, with a mournful yet stern face, told Griselda, "Ma'am, I have to take Mishy now."
"Where are you taking her?" Griselda asked.
"Away."
"Where is away?"
"Not here."
"Who told you to do this? Was it Walker?"
"Yes."
"Go get him and bring him here. Now!"
And Bernie scampered away as fast as he could.
Soon, Walker came. "Where are you taking my daughter?" Griselda demanded.
Even for a man like Walker, the tone in her voice gave him pause. "Well, that's not for you to know. Come along now, Mishy..."
"Like hell it is!" roared Griselda. Then she pulled out her shotgun and disposed of Walker.
The people gladly accepted Griselda as their ruler. They felt confident that she would never play any mean tricks upon them.