I lie down on the new rug. I touch the green glimpse of the frog hoodie with my finger, and it answers greenly: croak. Good to see you.

10

10

The next time the ghost comes, it’s carrying a carving knife. It sits down on the edge of my bed, as Mum used to do, and begins a story.

‘Once upon a time, there were two sisters who wanted to get married,’ the ghost rasps. ‘The Prince came to test the shoe on them because he had decided that whomever the shoe fitted would marry him. The sisters wanted to have a go.’

The ghost’s knife smells of sheep. Dad must have left it in the sink unwashed. I’ve spent the whole evening lying in my room, trying to block out the smell of roasting mutton that is oozing up the stairs. I can’t believe they’ve killed Bruno.

‘ “Give the shoe here – I’ll have a go!” said the first stepsister. She sat down to try it on.

‘But her toes were too big. “Cut off the toe, cut off the toe,” said the stepmother, and handed over a knife. “When you’re Queen, you won’t need to walk anyway.”

‘And the stepsister took the knife and cut off her big toe. She shoved her foot into the shoe and said, “It fits!” ’

Apparently the knife is just a prop and the ghost doesn’t plan on chopping anything off this time. It does choose to emphasize the ‘It fits!’ by raising the knife in the air, though.

‘The Prince puzzled over the blood spurting out of the shoe and asked to have the shoe back.

‘Then the other stepsister said, “Give the shoe here – I’ll have a go!” And so she in turn sat down to try it on.

‘This stepsister’s heel was too big. Again, the stepmother handed over the knife and said, “Cut off the heel. When you’re Queen, you won’t need to walk anyway.”

‘And the other stepsister cut off her heel, shoved her foot into the shoe and said, “It fits!”

‘But again the Prince puzzled over the blood spurting out of the shoe and asked to have the shoe back.

‘ “Give the shoe here!” said the first sister and cut off her foot. She shoved her leg stump into the shoe and said, “It fits!”

‘ “Give the shoe here!” said the second sister then, and cut off her own foot. She shoved her leg stump into the shoe and said, “It fits!”

‘ “Give the shoe here!” said the first sister then, and cut off her leg. She shoved her knee into the shoe and said, “It fits!”

‘ “Give the shoe here!” said the second sister then…

‘When the sisters didn’t have any legs left, the Prince took the blood-drenched shoe and left for the next house to look for the next girl. The sisters didn’t get to marry. The end.’