Feminine Curiosity

Legend is littered with stories of  women punished harshly  for their feminine curiosity; Lot's wife, Pandora, Psyche, Eve. Here is the story of one who got away with it ....by the skin of her neck

The Youngest Daughter

She fell in love with his fine houses,

a deal of silver and gold plate, and over-
-looked his blue-tinged beard and his appetite

for beautiful women.

And when he left she followed

the little back stair-case to the forbidden 
closet where she stood
in clotted blood.

The fallen key she could not clean

with any amount of soap or sand.

The silver sabre dangled
over her head

bowed in prayer. And it took a long
while for the cloud of dust
to spit out arms
to the rescue.

Copyright with Cathy Leonard 2016

http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/68/fairy-tales-and-other-traditional-stories/4858/blue-beard/

Blue-Beards

Blue-Beard- A Warning

I have refused the Blue-Beard.
I have turned him down.
I have chosen not to wed
the bloody axe in my own head.

After a short time in his company
my belly said, "Run!"
I didn't do it -Might hurt his feelings!!
Such mercy for a Blue-Beard is downright foolish I know.

But I humoured him.
Played the game of happy guest.
"Nice tea. Did you make the scones yourself?"
He almost had me then, almost.

But something strayed.
Something not quite, not right.
He didn't get another chance.
I left him at the castle gate next time.

Now why court a Blue-beard at all?
You may well ask.
I was being nice.
Still being bloody nice!

Then something cracked in me.
Do you suppose it was my naivety?
I said, "No!"
He struggled a little with that-Just a little.

Then, "What the hell! Go!
Plenty more sisters wandering the forest
might let a Blue-Beard
take them home for tea."

But not me, Sisters, not me!