The Princess and the Bucket

“Mormor, what is that bucket on your porch?”

 It’s for making ice cream, child.

“But why does it have flowers in it, then?”

There’s a story in that bucket with the flowers, child.

“What kind of story? A true one?”

So very true, my little. Truer than any fairy story in a book.

“Does it have a princess in it?”

Not a princess, no. But the girl in the story was everything a princess should be – brave and loving and loyal. So loyal. And sometimes a little headstrong.

“What is that?”

It means this girl – her name was Laurel – was stubborn sometimes. When she made up her mind to do something there was no telling her not to. Even if the thing was a little dangerous and scary.

“What did she do that was scary, Mormor?”

She hitchhiked, child. She only did it once, but it wasn’t…