Genre: Romance

The Pumpkin Jug

Sep 10, 2024

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: A good match, Bow (verb), Come into season, Fit, Hole, Impossible, Jug, Landslide victory, Pick (flowers), Poppy, Pumpkin, Rule (noun), Thirsty

Word Count: 1348

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

A king meets a woman who grows pumpkins. She gives him water in a dirty old jug, and then she breaks it. The king thinks this is strange, but he likes the woman. So he gives her a challenge: if she can put a big pumpkin in a small jug, he will marry her. But she cannot break the jug or the pumpkin. Can she do it?
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Cut Off Your Hair

Jul 9, 2024

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: Chew, Get caught on, Loom, Nail, Pharmacist, Scalp, Starve, Suit of armour, Sword, Trapped, Treat someone like

Word Count: 3658

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

An old couple wish for a son and instead have a daughter with long, magical hair. They don’t see the value in it, and sell her off to an old man who keeps her in a tower. Every day, he massages the oil from her hair and sells it. But the girl gets tired of this life, and makes a plan to escape…
The Singing Widow (Beginner)

Feb 20, 2024

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Latin America

New Vocabulary: Death, Float, Ghost, Grave, Land, Lonely, Petal, Skin, Smile, Tear (crying), Widow

Word Count: 816

Original Author: Daniel from Argentina

A woman’s husband dies, and she visits his grave every week to pray. When she dies, she goes to the land of the dead, and is excited to finally see him again. But she can’t find him…
The Flesh and Blood We Share

Nov 30, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Medieval

New Vocabulary: Alley, Armour, Beast, Bladder, Choke on your own spit, Claw, Dignity, Disarm, Dragon, Flesh and blood, Penance, Prostitute, Slay, Sorcerer, Tame

Word Count: 4436

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

It was the place he and Bulan had first kissed. Hale fell to his knees and threw up all his beer onto the dirt. The edges of his armour plates cut into him, and he felt like a skeleton dancing inside it, like a sorcerer had used magic on him or something. He threw up twice, then three times, and finally stopped. A bit of sick slid down his chin and neck, leaving a stain…
The Most Wanted Woman in Town

May 4, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: Chase, Disappear, Gossip, Nap, Prompt, Rub, Scratch, Sleep in, Sorceress, Trap, Whoever

Word Count: 3321

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

‘The Most Wanted Woman in Town has decided to have a competition,’ he announced. The people all went quiet. ‘Lady Rae knows that you all want many things from her. But she will not give her prizes to any man or woman. You must win the key to her heart. And the key is here.’
The Singing Widow

Mar 23, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: Equally, Grave, Land, Lonely soul, Misery, Pale, Petal, Place (put), Stroke, Widow

Word Count: 886

Original Author: Daniel from Argentina

Life cannot continue in such a way, floating on a sea of misery. So one day, the widow cried her final tear, closed her eyes, and never woke up again. That is, she never woke up in the human world. Of course, she went to the land of the dead, and she was filled with happiness. Now she could meet her husband again! She ran through the streets of the land of the dead, climbed…
Taken by the Fairies

Mar 9, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: Bald patch, Chest, Fairy, Hair clippers, Keep a promise, Make sense, Ponytail, Sadness/sadly, Sweat, Sword, Whatever happens, Whisper, Wound

Word Count: 1978

Original Author: Fairy Tales

’Will you marry me?’ The beautiful man laughed. ‘You don’t even know my name.’ ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jasper.’ Harold sighed. ‘A wonderful name. So, Jasper, will you marry me?’
The Raven’s Heart

Feb 23, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Fairytale

New Vocabulary: Beak, Bolt of lightning, Caw, Cloak, Domestic violence, Hold hostage, Huntress, Put a plan into practice, Raven, Splatter, True to someone’s word, Vomit, Witch

Word Count: 5398

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

But there was one thing that Zelda could never do. Morg had felt her confusion, as they had shared the kiss. The magic could change Morg’s appearance, but it could not change the way her body felt. Zelda had felt her heavy arms, her sharp bones and rough skin, and she had moved away in surprise.
Dear Heart Chapter 5

Feb 16, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Modern

New Vocabulary: App, Best man, Burst into applause, Comfort (verb), Corridor, Land (verb), Seek, Shove, Straight (sexuality), Swear (bad language), Undo (clothes), Voice catch

Word Count: 3814

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

‘Fergus.’ She took my chin and pulled my face towards hers. ‘There’s a simple way to get around all this. I don’t want to fire Cassandra, of course.’ She was moving closer. Her breath smelt of whisky and cigarettes. My heart screamed at me to get out. ‘So just do what I say…’ ‘No.’ She froze, inches away from kissing me. ‘No?’ ‘No.’
Dear Heart Chapter 4

Feb 9, 2021

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Genre: Romance

Setting: Modern

New Vocabulary: Beat up, Dump (relationships), Dwell on, Eyebrow, Idiot, Needle, Pretend, Reflection, Smash, Squish, Steering wheel, Tear through/apart/off, Threaten, Waistcoat

Word Count: 3237

Original Author: Ariel Goodbody

Our classes are over. Clearly, you’re doing fine without me, and I’ll just break your ‘nice pen’ if you try to help me. We’re colleagues, anyway. Let’s keep it that way. The handwriting was completely different, back to being a drunken spider, and it only got messier as my tears fell on the page.