When we record our Conversations With A Couple Of Crones Podcasts for the Gene Keys Unleashed community, we often answer questions from the other women in that membership. For an episode we recorded whilst we were travelling with our EQ sphere, we chose the perfect playful question (the EQ sphere relates to the years 8 to 14, so there is a lot of childlike play involved). Our dear friend Debbie posed this question …

Which Gene Key would you turn into a children’s story or myth—

and how would it end?

We both completely missed the “how would it end” part, and we both wrote whole stories!! 😂✍🏻

For her story, Meghan used her EQ Gene Key … 36.4 The Siddhi of Compassion, the Gift of Humanity, and the Shadow of Turbulence … and crafted a story of a little girl, Ella, who didn’t want to feel her BIG feelings any more.

Lizzie used her Purpose Gene Key … 48.3 The Siddhi of Wisdom, the Gift of Resourcefulness, and the Shadow of Inadequacy … and she told a tale of a little girl, Evangaline, who felt unloved and unwanted.

The similarities between our stories were so apparent to me. We had not talked about our stories before we recorded the Podcast episode; neither of us knew what the other was going to write about; yet we both explored the theme of a young girl, misunderstood by her milieu, who wanders into the forest to escape her pain, and who meets a wise old soul who helps her.

You can read the stories in full below. You can listen to the Podcast episode here.

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Meghan’s Fairytale for her EQ of Gene Key 36

Once upon a time in a small village on the edge of a big wood there lived a girl with red hair like flame. She was called Ella. Ella did everything with great passion and energy and felt the world and all its happenings deeply and showed it. Ella’s parents didn’t quite know what to do with her, as they were very reserved and kept their thoughts and feelings inside as they had been taught by their parents. Even Ella’s childhood friends found her responses to the happenings in the village to be so big they became embarrassed for themselves to be with her. One day Ella’s dear dog, who had always loved her even in her biggest emotions, died. Ella was devastated and wept and cried, moaned and sobbed for days upon days. Her deep and big response upset her quiet parents causing confusion and hurt and finally avoidance.

Ella no longer felt at home with her large and intense feelings, especially grief, as her parents seemed to have rejected her because of them. Ella ran into the woods hoping to find solace. She was deep in the darkness under the arms of the gigantic trees and feeling so miserable with all her emotions, she didn’t even feel fear of the darkness. Eventually when she was starting to get tired, she noticed the lights of a small cottage ahead. She had stumbled upon the home of an old woman.

The old woman was in the clearing in front of her home, stirring a mysterious brew in a cauldron over a robust fire. The woman didn’t seem surprised at the young person who stumbled into her presence and asked what was wrong as she could clearly see the girl was distressed. Ella dramatically sobbed and told the story of the whole town who turned their backs on her when she felt such grief at the loss of her dog and that it was the last straw and she now wanted nothing to do with her big negative emotions ever again. No more passionate anger, no more heartfelt sadness, no more overwhelming grief. The old woman nodded and secretly granted Ella’s wish.

Ella began to feel a little better and after the old woman gave her a glass of water and a piece of bread she decided she could go back home to face her family. As the days went by, Ella felt relieved of all those big emotional burdens, as she saw them, and even when their big old sow died giving birth, Ella didn’t grieve.

Ella could no longer feel her feelings which seemed wonderful to her at first. She was able to stay on the surface of life playing with her friends, gossiping about those who were not like her and being dutiful and righteous for her parents. But as time went on she realized that even though she didn’t have to feel all the fierce emotions anymore she couldn’t feel the wonderful emotions she used to feel either. Singing was no longer fun, and she couldn’t abandon herself to the blissful movement of her body in dance. She couldn’t partake in the beauty of the sunset or the softness of her mother’s kiss. She was frozen, and no longer even felt human. What was to become of her? She had no depth of feeling for her family or her best friends. Ella’s world had become bleak and
lackluster.

Finally, Ella found her steps taking the path to the old woman’s forest home. She found that she couldn’t even beg for help, as the passion had been stripped from her. But when she finally faced the old crone she felt a spark of light deep within her heart, and it showed in her eyes enough to tell this wise woman that she knew of her mistake and her deep regret.

The old woman didn’t even need to reverse the spell, for Ella’s simple recognition of self-love and
acceptance of all she was as a human was enough to thaw her emotions. The girl shuddered and the dam burst and her heart was filled with all the emotions she had asked to be free of. At that
moment the forest was filled with birdsong and the crone held out her arms in celebration as the girl humbly recognized her own humanity.

Never again did Ella ignore or hide from emotions that were her goddess given right. She paid attention to all that she was feeling and held herself responsible for appropriately expressing herself. And because of her kindness and understanding she in turn became a wise woman living in the forest with the birds, ready to bless the next young girl with the truth.

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Lizzie’s Fairytale for her Purpose Gene Key

A Quest for Wisdom

This is the tale of a little girl called Evangaline, who was tricked by an unhappy little sprite called Nix. Nix would whisper in Evangaline’s ear that no one liked her; that she had no friends because she was so different that all the other children feared to have her around.

Nix would hiss that even Evangaline’s family didn’t want her … she wasn’t good, or quiet, or obedient like her brother. She was too loud, a troublesome thorn in her mother’s side with her endless questions about the world; too young to be included in the adventures her brother would have with their father. Left to fend for herself.

Nix told her so often that no one wanted her, that one day Evangaline ran off into the forest. She stomped through the trees for a long time. Tears of sadness and rage blurred her vision, so that she roamed far from the paths she knew, until at last, heartbroken and weary, she curled up to sleep on the soft moss in the roots of an ancient oak tree.

When she awoke, she found herself looking up into the huge, yellow eyes of Snowy Owl. Evangaline knew that these mighty hunters were revered by her people. Owl was the wisest of birds, swift of wing, farsighted, and holder of deep magic.

Many people feared these great birds, with their sharp beaks and strong talons, with their eyes that saw everything, their ears that heard even the rustling of a mouse a thousand feet away. But Evangaline was not afraid. She knew in her heart that she was safe. She was puzzled by her own boldness, in the face of such a powerful creature, but a whisper in her heart told her to trust Owl. And a curiosity in her mind nudged her to speak.

So, she stood, bowed her head respectfully and thanked the owl for letting her sleep in the roots of her tree.

“Why are you here, child? The deep heart of this forest is no place for a girl so young.”

So, Evangaline told her story, about not being wanted or loved, about wandering so long and so sadly that she’d lost her way. She realised as she spoke that she desperately wanted to go home. Even if they did not love her, she loved her family. And she was sure, even though they probably thought it was peaceful without her, that they would be missing her by now. She was their daughter and their sister after all. And maybe malevolent Nix was wrong? Suddenly Evangaline knew with absolute certainty that Nix WAS wrong.

“Oh,” she cried to Owl, “I must go home. Please can you show me the way?”

“Ah,” said Owl, “it’s not so easy to escape from this forest. You must find your own way home.”

Evangaline looked stricken. “I can help you, my child,” Owl said gently, as tears spilled from the girl’s eyes. “But you must do something for me in return. I have lost a treasure of mine. My Pearl of Wisdom, a talisman of great power, that allows me to see that which cannot be seen. If you can retrieve my Pearl of Wisdom from the Oyster who is keeping it hidden on the sea’s floor, then in exchange, I will help you find your path home.”

Evangaline was a brave little girl. She didn’t hesitate to say yes. She had seen the sadness in Owl’s eyes as she had spoken of her loss, and it had made her want, more even than her desire to go home, to help this beautiful owl.

“Then follow this path to the river,” Owl said as she pointed her wing behind Evangaline. “The river leads to the sea, and to my lost treasure. Be brave. Be bold. Be not afraid to ask for help along the way. This world is full of magic, if you can but open your eyes to see it. And there is always help for those who open their hearts and minds to receive it.”

And with that Owl turned her head and fell back into sleep.

There IS Magic in the World

“Magic!” thought Evangaline with a grin, “I KNEW it!!”

And she turned and skipped off along the path, eyes peeled for any magic she might find in the trees and rocks, the birds and animals. Oh! She was so happy, and her homesickness had abated at the thought of her quest to help Owl get back her Pearl of Wisdom. Owl was going to help her get home, which was wonderful.

But even more exciting was that she was going to meet magical creatures!! What brilliant fun.

Soon Evangaline could hear the sound of the river, and as she stepped out of the trees onto the path along the bank, she spotted an Otter frolicking in the water as it roared over rocks and tumbled down the hillside.

Evangaline was delighted to discover that Otter was one of the magical creatures she was destined to meet on this Quest. Otter listened to Evangaline’s tale, and then with glee she told Evangaline that they would follow the river to the sea, where her friend Whale would be able to take Evangaline down to the seabed, to the very place where Oyster lived.

Otter told Evangaline that she would have to give the Oyster a gift in exchange for the Pearl of Wisdom. Evangaline looked crestfallen, because she didn’t have anything with her that would be a fitting gift for a magical creature such as Oyster.

“Oh, I have just the perfect thing,” smiled Otter, and she gave Evangaline a perfectly round stone, worn smooth by the river over thousands of years. It was a pebble of Scottish Gneiss, which is a magical metamorphic rock from the far mountains, which had been polished to a glowing red, marbled by darker veins of colour. “Oyster has tried for many years to create a red pearl and has never been able to. She will love this,” said Otter.

“But what gift shall I give Whale?” asks Evangaline.

“Ah”, says Otter, “you will be giving Whale the greatest gift of all … you will be giving her your trust. You will be giving your safety over to her and trusting that she will not only carry you to Oyster, but that she will bring you safely back. Whale is the oldest and wisest of creatures, and trust is her greatest treasure.”

And with that, they set off to follow the river to the sea, Evangaline giggling at Otter’s antics as she swam and leapt along beside her.

There is Magic in Breath

When they reached the shore, Otter waded into the surf and called to Whale and within a few minutes, the most beautiful creature that Evangaline had ever seen crested the waves, and she found herself gazing into the deep, dark eyes of a whale. Otter quickly told her of Evangaline’s quest, and Whale was so happy that she would have the pleasure of sharing her underwater world with this feisty young human.

“But how will I hold my breath all the way to the bottom of the sea?” Evangaline cried, for she was suddenly afraid of how deep the ocean was, and Owl had said that Oyster lived on seabed … that seemed like it would be very deep down indeed.

“Trust in me, my child,” said Whale. “Put your mouth to my blowhole and breathe in my outbreath. There is magic in breath, and my magic is powerful enough to share.”

So, Evangaline took Whale’s fin in her hands, she put her lips to the blowhole and took a deep breath. She could immediately feel bubbles fizzing through her whole body. They made her feel light and airy, and she giggled quite uncontrollably as Whale turned around and started to swim out to sea.

Whale began to dive down towards the ocean floor, and Evangaline was thrilled to feel the magic coursing through her, as she found to her delight that she could breathe easily under the water.

Soon they were deep, deep down in the sea and Evangaline could see light glimmering ahead of them. As they got closer and closer to the seabed, she began to laugh with pure delight to see the source of the light … thousands of phosphorescent fish were swirling all around them, luminous green seaweed glowed from the surfaces of rocks. And there, in the middle of a ring of glowing golden starfish sat the largest Oyster Evangaline has ever seen.

Swapping One Treasure for Another

Evangaline respectfully told Oyster her tale and she asked if she could please have Owl’s Pearl of Wisdom, so that she might return it to her. But Oyster was reluctant to give up this treasure of hers. The pearl she held in her breast was more lustrous than any pearl she had ever made herself, and she loved its glowing light.

Evangaline pulled the beautiful red Gneiss stone from her pocket and held it out to Oyster. “I bring you this from the high Scottish mountains in exchange,” she said, with a little burst of bubbles! Oyster was utterly delighted with this red marbled stone. She had longed to create a red pearl herself for many a long year, and this ancient stone was more beautiful than any she could ever dream to make herself. “Yes, my child, I shall happily exchange Owl’s Pearl for this red treasure!”

A Return to the Surface with Treasures

“But Whale,” cried Evangaline, suddenly looking worried, “what about Otter? I have given Oyster the rare red stone. I have given you my trust. I must take a gift back for Otter. Will you catch me one of these brilliant blue fish, please?”

“I’ll catch you two,” said Whale with a smile, “One for Otter’s journey to the shore, the other for her journey back into the forest”. And with that she scooped two of the largest of the phosphorescent fish into her mouth. Evangaline once more took Whale’s fin in her hands, and the began to rise back to the surface.

When they reached the shore again, Otter was delighted with her gift. She had not asked nor even hoped for one. Sharing the journey to the sea and back was high play for the river-loving Otter; to receive two such rare fishes was more than she could ever have dreamed of.

Evangaline and Otter waved farewell to Whale and began to make their way back upstream into the heart of the forest, with Evangaline telling Otter all about the fish and the seaweed and the golden starfish she had seen at the bottom of the sea. Otter was a jolly good swimmer, but the seabed was far too deep for her to reach.

You Shall Never Be Lost Again

In no time at all, they had reached the ancient oak, where Owl was waiting patiently for them. Owl plucked the Pearl of Wisdom from Evangaline’s outstretched hand and dropped it into the mighty nest that she had built in the branches of the tree.

“Now will show me the way home?” asked Evangaline.

“Oh, I shall do better than that, little one,” said Owl, “I shall give you everything you need so that you will never be lost again.” And with a wave of her wing, a large backpack appears on the ground before Evangaline.

“This is a magical bag,” says Owl, “It is bottomless, yet it is light and easy to carry. It holds everything you will ever need to find your way in this world. There is a map that will draw the path ahead with every step you take. There is a compass that will always point to your true North. There are tools and resources to aid and sustain you on life’s journey. All you need to do is take a deep breath and imagine that you are diving deep into the sea of yourself, like your dive to the ocean floor with Whale, and you will find exactly what you need, when you need it, right there, in your own magical backpack.”

Evangaline took up the map and the compass, then she pulled the bag onto her back. As she did so, she felt something bump against her breast and looked down to see Owl’s Pearl, cradled in a gossamer net of golden thread, hanging from her neck.

Owl nodded, “Yes, little one, that is yours now. For when wisdom is shared, it surely grows.”

“Thank you, my friends” Evangaline said to Owl and Otter, as her eyes filled with tears of happiness, sadness and gratitude, for she felt all of these things.

“Please may I come and visit you again?” she asked.

“Of course,” laughed Otter.

“Oh yes” said Owl, “but next time, why don’t you bring that naughty Nix with you.  I think it would be good for her to see what a brave girl you truly are. I think that it would be good for her to know what a kind and loving heart you have, you who brought us all these gifts. And that could be your gift to her, for she sounds like a sad girl, and your kindness to her might just be what she needs.”

Evangaline looked down at the map, and saw a path appear, the path she knew would lead her home. With a final thank you and farewell to her new friends, she turned her face to the East and began her journey to the home of her heart.