Ansel approached the colorful house while Jakob and Marta stayed hidden within the trees.  They had to stay low because they stood as tall as some the trees.  Ansel had heard tales of the witch in the rainbow house.  She is a good and fair witch but could never live among the villagers because it was told that the witch was horrendous in appearance.

Ansel approached the house with caution.  The cats moved around the porch of the house, meowing at the approaching man.  Ansel reached the steps when the two stone lions moved and growled.  Ansel trembled in fear.

“Who goes there?” a voice cackled from the door.

“It is I, Ansel the carpenter from the village,” Ansel answered with a shaky voice.

“Aye, the carpenter with the runaway children, I know of you.  Look with your heart and not your head,” the voice cackled.  Ansel thought about what the witch said.  “Look with you heart and not your head.  You shall see me as I am,” the voice cackled again. 

Ansel looked deep within himself and cloud of smoke appeared on the porch among the noisy cats.  As the smoke cleared, a creature of great beauty appeared before the carpenter.  Wavy golden hair hung freely to her ankles and eyes as blue as the sky.  She wore a dress of white gossamer with a golden girdle tied around a small waist. She appeared willowy like his children but of a normal size.

“Who are you?”  Ansel gasped.

“I am the witch of the rainbow house.  You are Ansel the carpenter and you have broken my curse.  You see me as I am.  Many a wanderer has not been able to do that, you are a first, for which I am grateful,” said the beauty with the soft voice.

“Curse?”

“Yes, I have been cursed by a wizard many ages ago.  I refused his hand in marriage, so he cursed me to be ugly and unwanted.  The wizard died but his curse never did.  Only one pure of heart can break it and you are the one, carpenter.  I am now in your debt,” the maiden said with a bow.  “Name your price and I shall pay it in full.”

Ansel looked to the trees where his giant children had hidden and turned back to the maiden.  The maiden stared intently into his eyes.  “You have been in The Black Forest,” the maiden said.  “You looked older before you entered but the forest hasn’t fully claimed you.”

“How did you know?” Ansel asked, startled at the beauty staring at him.

“Your hair was gray and your back hunched with age.  You wear the scars of your hunt, your hunt for your missing children.  It has been for naught,” the maiden said looking up into Ansel eyes.  “They are alive and well, unlike your wife.  She lives, but she is ailing.  Your children, they are here.”

“Yes m’lady, they are.  I must warn you…”

“The forest has claimed them,” the maiden said.  “They may come out, I will not fear them.”

“But m’lady, can you fix them to as they should be?”

“I will not know until I see them.  Come out children!  I will not fear you,” the beautiful maiden said.

Jakob and Marta stood, unsure whether to go to the maiden or not.  The beauty stood of normal stature, just like their father.  It could be a trick or an illusion.  Marta trusted her instincts and stepped out of the trees with Jakob following her. 

The maiden smiled as they approached.  “Such beautiful children,” the maiden cooed as she looked up at the approaching giants.  “The boy is strong and sturdy.  The girl has a face minstrels sing about.  Such fine children, Ansel the carpenter.”

“Can you make them as they once were?” Ansel asked.

“Sadly, nay, no magic is powerful enough.  They have lived in the forest far too long.  The forest has claimed them as her own.  The sunlight hurts their eyes but their bodies are stronger than any other,” the maiden said.

“Papa, she is right. The sun does hurt my eyes,” Marta said, as her and Jakob shaded their eyes from the bright clearing.

“That is why they are the color of sky.  Once that happens, there is no way to reverse it.  I can fix you, carpenter.  The forest hasn’t completely spoiled you,” the maiden said.

“I don’t feel any different,” Ansel said.

“Nay, but it has healed you.  You have not been paying close attention,” the maiden said with a smile.

“Papa, your garments appear a size smaller,” Marta said.  Ansel looked down at the sleeves of his tunic.  The garment did feel ill fitting.

“Your children were wise to make this journey when they did.  Any longer in those trees, you will become as they are, then you cannot go back to your ailing wife,” the maiden said with a frown.  “Only now is the time you can make the journey back, unnoticed and unspoiled.”

“Is there anyone who can turn us back?” Jakob asked the maiden.

“Nay my child, but there are others like yourself.  Not all live in the forest and not all were lost,” the maiden said, giving the giants a warm smile.  “Destiny has made you who you are.  If you and your sister had not run off, your path would have been a dire one.”

“What do you mean?” Marta asked.

“Starvation, Ansel the carpenter would not be with us today if you two had not run off and made your own life.  Take the water of the Black Forest to the one who has given you two life.  Let the water heal her and make her well.  Share in your bounty my children and only then will the carpenter’s wife live,” the maiden said.  Just as mysteriously as she appeared, the rainbow house and the maiden vanished.  A vile of blue liquid appeared and a voice said, “Drink this carpenter for it will heal you of the Black Forest.”   Ansel took the vile and drank of the elixir.  He noticed no changes in his ill-fitting garments or his vigor.  Ansel still felt strong and young.  The vile filled with more elixir.  “For your wife, once she is healed,” the voice then said.  Ansel fell to his knees and looked up at the sky.

“Thank you, m’lady,” he yelled loudly to the phantom voice.  Ansel then felt an invisible kiss on his cheek and heard a sweet melodious laugh that faded in the breeze…