need plotting help - children's story

[BeccaPrice]

I've got a children's story (fairy tale) that I've been working on for years, but have never been able to come up with a good resolution that's fair to both parties in the conflict. Is anyone interested in helping me?

[morriss003]

Endings can be a problem. How about some more detail?

[BeccaPrice]

without wanting to get into too much detail:

Two groups of people, geographically separate (distant countries), have a genuine need for the same amulet. Group 1 need it to keep away enemies, group 2 need it to (literally) stay alive.

Group 2 has it, prince (but he's not a bad guy) from group 2 steals it. Prince from group 2 is sent to get it back.

part 1 of the story is told from the point of view of group 1 - classic handsome prince goes on quest to find the one thing that will protect his people, finds it, general rejoicing. part 2 of the story is told form the point of view of group 2: valuable thing is stolen from us, prince must go quest to get it back.

Sharing is not an option - the countries are too geographically separate. Having group 2 (strong warriors) defeat enemies of group 2 isn't really an option - that smacks too much of them having to purchase back what is rightfully theirs, plus the enemy will just come back after group 2 leaves.

this being a fairy tale, magic works, but I can't figure out a way even with magic to satisfy the needs of both groups.

oh, yeah. Group 2 is not human, and each sees the other group as hideous monsters.

[Doitsu]

An easy way out would be introducing another long lost amulet that can only be taken, if one member of each group goes on the quest together, because the creator of the amulet wanted to make sure that both groups overcome their differences.
You could also introduce a third group that steals the amulet and forces groups 1 and 2 to join forces to recover it. After recovering the amulet, the member of group 1 could decide to give the member of group 2 the amulet, because they'd die without it. The creator of the amulet could then give the member of group 1 another amulet as a reward for his selfless behavior.

[BeccaPrice]

I want to be very careful not to reward the original theft, but still have group 1 be able to defend themselves against their enemies.

the problem with introducing another group or another amulet is that fairy tales need to be fairly simple.

These are bed-time stories, so they need to be kept fairly short... the other stories in the collection are around 2200 words each; this one I've aimed at having that length be for each of the two parts.

but you've given me some ideas to think about.

[crich70]

Maybe you could have a higher power involved somehow. Or have some kids from the separate groups getting along even though the adults don't. Maybe a child from group 2 saves a child from group 1 from harm and it turns out the child from group 1 is the son/daughter of someone important and they give the amulet back to its rightful owners as a sign of gratitude for that good deed. That way you could show that good deeds do sometimes result in good deeds in turn.

[BeccaPrice]

hm. definitely having some good ideas here. I'll have to write them out and see where it goes from here.

All my fairy stories do have morals, but they tend to be off-beat ones, like doing research before jumping to conclusions. <g>

[VydorScope]

Bah, simple answer. Everyone dies in the end. No more need for the amulet.

[BeccaPrice]

a bid dark for bed time stories!

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

a bid dark for bed time stories!

Right, just like the Grimm fairy tales

[BeccaPrice]

In the Grimm tales, frequently evil is punished, often gruesomely. It's the Hans Christian Anderson tales that always end badly for everybody. (I hated those stories when I was a child.)

[VydorScope]

More serious note... how about a redemption? So the thieving group feels bad and decides to return it, but the other group decides to let them have it so the amulet splits, because of their selfless actions, each getting part and the parts can do all that they need it to do...

Or they reach a deal to trade it back and forth each month/year/week?

[gmw]

The non-humans of group 2 are able to protect the humans of group 1 from whatever it is they wanted the amulet for. So we end up with an alliance between the two groups - maybe a student exchange program or similar, in which some of group 2 live with group 1 and so offer protection.

[aecardenas]

Originally Posted by gmw

The non-humans of group 2 are able to protect the humans of group 1 from whatever it is they wanted the amulet for. So we end up with an alliance between the two groups - maybe a student exchange program or similar, in which some of group 2 live with group 1 and so offer protection.

I like that scenario. Or maybe the elder wizards or mages can find a way to impart or transfer the power of the amulet to a select group of individuals, perhaps a mixture of Group 1 and 2 beings--endowing them with special powers and abilities--making them sort of like Knights. Then these knights sort of operate as peacekeepers and guardians, who fight in defense of this new alliance against all manner of evil from within and without.

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

More serious note... how about a redemption? So the thieving group feels bad and decides to return it, but the other group decides to let them have it so the amulet splits, because of their selfless actions, each getting part and the parts can do all that they need it to do...

Or they reach a deal to trade it back and forth each month/year/week?

definitely I want the theme of redemption. The amulet is heart-shaped, however, and I don't like the symbolism of a broken heart.

I'm thinking of a mutual defense pact.