Once
upon a time there was a girl who was special. Her hair gleamed
like amber and her eyes were blue as music. She grew up bright and
beautiful,
with clever fingers and a tongue that charmed animals as well as men.
Her
parents adored her, her teachers praised her, and her schoolmates
envied her many
talents. Even the oddly shaped birthmark on her forearm seemed like a
sign of
some great destiny.
