The doll

    Vanilda and Matilda lived alone. Although they were still very young, they had to work hard to support the house. Matilda made greengrocers to sell and Vanilda sewed out. Sometimes it was difficult for them to get money even to buy groceries because they had long periods without customers. They lived in rags because they repeated the same poor, already torn clothes. They were all mended and recumbent. The shoes could no longer be worn: the soles were so worn that their feet were practically bare, they lived very sad in these outfits.

    As they walked the streets, they admired the beautiful dresses that rich women wore; they coveted their jewels and also their elegant animal skin shoes. When they went to mass, they were always snubbed and humiliated by wealthy women. "Wow, what a stunning dress you have!" – said Melinda ironically, the pharmacist's daughter. Or, "Did you come in the dress that your maid wears when she goes to cleanse?" - said Magali, the banker's wife. Anete, the mayor's wife was the cruelest when she said, "You're going to settle for you will never have better clothes than the ones you're wearing!” Vanilda and Matilda were bleeding inside out, but they did not respond. They were all very rich and influential women in the city, they did better by not starting conflict with them.

    One day, tired of that humiliation and starving for a few days, they were desperate to ask for help from Manolda. She was an old dwarf who lived in a backyard cottage because she had been excluded from society. Everyone said she was a sorcerer and had contact with demonic entities, so no one wanted her around. 

   Vanilda and Matilda climbed the slope leading to Manolda's house.

   --- Is not she going to turn us into statues? --- Matilda commented in fear.

    --- Are you crazy? She does not do such evil things! --- Answered Vanilda.

    --- I do not know. It is said that she has turned the son of Joca the cheese maker into a statue.

   --- That's a rumor. She has great powers but she is good. Remember Giorgette's teddy bear?

    --- So what? --- Matilda asked as she stopped worrying.

    --- She gave him life. It is now a family member. They only had one daughter so she always had to play alone, now she has teddy bear to play with; she has the power to give life to inanimate things.

   --- Yes, it's true, the bear is crybaby and sly too!

   --- Clear! That's her owner. How did she want him to leave?

   --- What's that got to do with it?

    --- Well, don’t you know? The being that comes to life has the same characteristics as the owner. --- Vanilda explained.

   --- I did not know that. She may be good, but even so, it's good to be aware of everything that happens.

   The house was on a green grassy hill. There were two small trees at the sides. It was strange because the vegetation around the mountain was dry and almost dead. There were no green plants. Just around the house, on the mountain, the green existed. The yellow house was very small, more like little playhouse. There was only one side window and a door in the front. They knocked on the door and the dwarf came to open it. She was very small, she was wearing a half-silver-gray, straight-bodied dress; she also wore a little round dome bonnet with a yellow flower on the left side.

    --- I'll help you. You can come in.

   “Help in what?” They both thought. The old woman had not yet heard their request, how could she know?

    --- Sit down. --- Pointed the old woman to two wooden chairs by the window.

    Inside the house, there was a large cauldron in the center from which a steamer smelled of flowers. In one of the corners there was a small bed; on the other, there was a shelf full of glass and some dead animals.

   --- We're in trouble. --- Matilda began.

   --- You do not have to say because I already know. --- Interrupted the old lady. --- I was expecting you.

   --- Do you know us yet? --- Matilda asked in astonishment.

   --- Clear! I've known you all along! --- Answered the old woman with a broad smile.

   --- And how do you know what we want if we have not even told it yet? --- Vanilda asked.

   The dwarf concluded that they wanted a better life.

   --- Listen very carefully, for if you do not follow what I say, you will not get what you want.

   --- It's all right! --- They agreed.

    There was a white owl with a golden head on a perch near the bed. She started to chirp. She seemed agitated. The dwarf only waved a hand and the owl settled. Then she started pacing the house looking at the glasses on the shelf and saying:

    --- Collect several horsetail stems and make a small doll with them. It does not have to be very perfect. It is necessary that it have arms, legs, trunk and a head. --- She went over to the shelf and picked up a blossom of rosy rosemary on sundown, then plunged it into a glass of honey and removed it; then splashed a few drops of patchouli on the twig and handed it to Vanilda. --- Put this stuck in the neck of the doll after it is ready. Give the doll for a black cow to eat and then give her holy water to drink. Just a little is enough. This has to be done on a moonless night before midnight. On the first day of the next moon, before the sun rises, be near the cow, for it will give birth. Take the fetus home. Take care as if it was your child. Never tell anyone about it. Soon you will have everything you need.

    --- But how can a baby give us what we need? It will be another mouth to be fed and one more problem for us. --- Matilda complained.

   --- You will see that this baby will be the solution to your problems. --- The witch explained.

   --- But how can we pay you? --- Vanilda asked.

   --- We do not have money. --- Matilda continued.

    --- When you can, make me a beautiful dress and you will have already paid for it. The color you think is the best, as beautiful as your taste. --- The old woman ran her hand over the dress she wore.

   They were already out the door when the dwarf warned:

    --- But remember, you will only have what is necessary for a well-to-do life. If you ask for more, you will lose everything.

   They both left happy and hopeful. They tried to get the ingredients to prepare for the special day.

   After everything had been done exactly as the old woman had said, they waited until the cow gave birth.

    Matilda went every morning to the neighbor's cow to see if it had given birth.

   --- It's only when the moon turns. --- Vanilda explained. --- It's no good for you to go there, because nothing will happen before that.

    Finally the big day came; it was the change of moon. Vanilda went along. They took the risk of the owner of the cow selling it during the process and they lose everything.

    It was a very fast delivery. Matilda ran and took the fetus in her hands. It was a beautiful doll the size of an six-year-old girl. The girls took her home happily. Vanilda made a beautiful dress for her with scraps she had and they named her Sarali.

    They were both happy because they were able to fulfill all the sorcerer's commands, but Matilda was very worried: what would this girl do to help us?

    --- Let's wait. We have to trust the sorcerer. Let's wait for the next events.

   Amazingly, the girl grew very fast. Every sunrise she grew a year until she became a thirteen-year-old in a week! She then has proved talented in many industries. Gradually, Matilda and Vanilda were taught new techniques to use in their professional activities.

   Vanilda learned to make models of clothing hitherto unknown to her.

   They were gala costumes with imported fine fabrics, clothes with different models used in the main world capitals. Matilda learned how to make greengrocers and very special sweets. Unknown snacks in the city, famous delicacies from other countries, kitchens of royalty made with noble chestnuts, candied fruits from elsewhere.

   The exceptional quality of the two products and services has gained fame. Customers began to look for them more and more. A few months later, they already had their house full every day. Quickly the fame of the two was also made in the neighboring cities because of the special quality of the services they provided. Different and tasty sweets and elegant and unpublished clothes were the great differential of the two that conquered great clientele in a short time. A customer who was going to order clothes ended up buying a package of greengrocers and vice versa. They were really making lots of money. Sarali was always working with them.

    Slowly the customers came to know Sarali and were amazed to see such beauty and eloquence. The doll talked about any subject. She spoke several languages, had knowledge of philosophy, history, science and algebra. The women saw in her an example of a woman, besides having in her an adviser for subjects of the psyche and of the social relations. She knew how to play the guitar and sing, recite poems, dance and others... Everybody became more and more enchanted with the talents of the doll. It was unbelievable! The fame of the doll was so great that they began to visit the house only to see the doll. That was when everything began to change.

   Matilda and Vanilda started charging people to see and talk to the doll. People asked for loving or financial advice for the doll. Starting in the morning until late afternoon and sometimes at night, the doll had marked appointments all the time. Their owners began to make more money from the doll than from the services they provided. They were getting more and more expensive by the appointments and were getting their pockets full of money. They began to walk dressed in the exuberant grandeur never seen by the most elegant women of high society. They wore glamorous shoes and scarves parading through the city.

    One day, arriving at the church, Anete wore a beautiful brown velvet dress and Matilda walked past her and said:

    --- This little dress does not reach my feet. --- She ran her hand through her dress. --- It's an exclusive model; it was made especially for me.

   The girl's mouth dropped open.

   Shortly afterwards Magali was also very elegant.

    --- I think it was you the one who put on your maid's dress today weren’t you? --- Vanilda said to the banker's wife.

    Later it was the woman of the mayor that also had her clap back:

   --- As you will never have dressed as dazzling as mine.

   Thus, Vanilda and Matilda began to give back what they received from the women who humiliated them in the past.

    Already with much money and clothing to envy the richest princess, they reformed and enlarged the house in royalty style. They even made an imperial garden with a fountain! After the entire work was completed and the redecoration finished, they decided to give a grand opening party and charged for the entry. Only the richest inhabitants of the city and region were invited. They spent what they had and what they did not have to make the most luxurious party the city had ever had. They asked for the best champagne wines in the world. They bought imported spices to make snacks and pickles they would serve.

    The big day has come and the event was a bang. The little girls who humiliated the rich new women put on their fake faces and tried to reverse the situation: they did so much that they managed to become their friends now. Now they came together to talk about futility. The city's riches always went there to ask fashion advice, indications of it, and indications of that...

   Time passed and the new rich ones forgot to give the dress to the old dwarf. They were still too busy enjoying their lives of luxury and glamour.

    On a hot, sunny day, it was still morning and they were all asleep when the house mysteriously began to catch fire. It was a strange bluish fire with small flames that did not smell. Matilda and Vanilda lingered to discover the fire. When they noticed it, half of the house and the roof of the rest were already on fire. Matilda immediately worried about the doll that had not yet been damaged by the flames. It was only time for them to pick up the doll and leave the house so that the fire would completely take over all the rooms. There was no chance of trying to stop it. They went out into the street and started yelling for help. Their house was on the outskirts of the city on a street with very few houses. No one heard their cry, so the cry for help was in vain. At last, already beginning to subside, the fire had almost burned the house down. Still standing there was only a small part: the two ancient rooms that were before enlargement, nothing but them, were saved.

   --- Who in the hell could ever have done this to us? --- Vanilda said in tears.

   --- I don’t know! But it's a lot of cruelty. --- Matilda concluded.

   --- But... wait! We did not take the dress for the dwarf old lady.

   --- Was that it?

   --- I do not know if she would have that much power to destroy our house. --- Vanilda said.

   --- Whoever destroyed it was the fire. She just took care of it.

   Angered, they went to the dwarf's house to take satisfaction.

   They were facing the door of the old woman but before they knocked she opened it and said:

   --- I already waited for you.

   --- Listen! Old woman. --- Matilda was saying when the old woman interrupted her.

    --- We forgot to make you the dress. But you had no right to do what you did to us. --- Vanilda tried to explain.

   --- Oh, but it's nothing like that. I did not do anything with you because of any dress. --- Manolda said.

   Vanilda and Matilda looked at each other in amazement.

   --- No?!

   --- Then what happened? --- Asked Matilda.

   --- You did not respect the rule I explained to you.

   --- The rule I told you when you were leaving.

    --- We remember no rule. --- Vanilda explained.

    --- It's always like that. I am used to it. People at this time only think about what they are going to get for good and forget that there are rules to be respected. I will repeat: you will only have what is necessary for a wealthy life. If you ask for more, you will lose everything.

    --- But why did you need to set fire and destroy our whole house? --- Matilda complained indignantly.

    --- I did not set fire on anything. I was very quiet here in my house. --- Said the dwaf.

   --- Then who was it? --- Vanilda asked.

    --- It was the doll itself. She saw the futility and arrogance of yours. She saw vanity take hold of your hearts. She saw pride, greed and others. --- The old woman explained.

   Matilda and Vanilda lowered their heads without words.

   --- Now you feel like I want to give you something.

    They sat in the chairs and waited. The dwarf went to the shelf and picked up a black bottle that had the shape of a cobra snake; then opened the bottle and put some of the black liquid in each of the two glasses. It was a very thick black liquid that looked tar. Then she took the glasses and handed them to both of them.

   --- Drink it!

   The next day, Magali and Anete went to the doll's atelier.

   --- What a beautiful little doll! --- Anete exclaimed, picking up a little doll in a peach-colored dress.

   --- There's such a cute little hat! --- Magali finished.

   ---- I'll take this. --- Anete concluded. --- Now we'll find one for you.

   They kept walking around the store. Minutes later, Anete approached a beautiful doll and called Magali:

    --- Come and see this one! It is very beautiful!

    --- Really pretty. And it looks smart. --- Magali commented.

   ---- This is the Super Woman. It is really smart.

   After examining it a little, Magali concluded:

   --- I'm taking this!

   --- Great!

   When they were in the paying box, Anete saw Vanilda and Matilda hanging by hooks on the wall behind the box.

   --- You still could not sell those two over there? --- Anete asked the salesman.

   --- I have not found anyone who wanted them yet. --- The salesman answered.

   --- I could not take Vanilda any longer. --- Magali said.

   --- What about Matilda? It was already filling me. --- Anete concluded. --- We did well to get rid of both!

   The salesman kept looking at them and thinking... He gave the change of payment and they left, as they walked away from the box he said quietly.

   --- They had the personalities of their owners!

The end