Wendy Cooling - Mirrors - Sparkling new stories from prize-winning authors

EDITED BY WENDY COOLING

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

SARAH YOUNG AND TIM STEVENS

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Title Page SPARKLING NEW STORIES FROM PRIZE-WINNING AUTHORS Mirrors EDITED BY WENDY COOLING ILLUSTRATIONS BY SARAH YOUNG AND TIM STEVENS

Introduction INTRODUCTION Mirrors and reflections have played their part in stories from the ancient tales of the basilisk and the story of Snow White, to the present day story of Harry Potter. The mythical basilisk could turn a creature to stone with just a look and could only be destroyed by seeing its own reflection in a mirror. Snow White’s step-mother appeals to her all-seeing mirror for confirmation of her beauty. Harry Potter finds the Mirror of Erised and sees in it what he desires most in life – his family. The dictionary definition of ‘mirror’ is something that gives a faithful reflection. In fiction, mirrors do not have to play by the rules! This book contains fifteen newly written stories in which a mirror plays a vital part. One is a beautiful re-telling of the story of Narcissus and his reflection – perhaps the oldest mirror story of all – and the rest, brand new stories that reflect the imaginations of some of today’s finest writers. Read the stories in any order, then maybe you’ll want to go on and look at some of the novels written by these authors. Enjoy!

Elizabeth Laird: The Fateful Mirror

Gaye Hiçyilmaz: The Mirrored Garden

Lesley Howarth: Mirrors dot com

Jeremy Strong: Never Trust a Parrot

Malorie Blackman: Watching

Vivian French: Selim-Hassan the Seventh

Melvin Burgess: Whose Face do you See?

Celia Rees: Silver Laughter

Anne Fine: Use it or Lose it

Paul Stewart: Double Vision

Kate Thompson: The Dragon’s Dream

Alan Durant: Rochefault’s Revenge

Annie Dalton: Lilac Peabody

Mary Arrigan: The Disappearance

Berlie Doherty: The Girl of Silver Lake

About the Contributors

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Mirrorsand reflections have played their part in stories from the ancient tales of the basilisk and the story of Snow White, to the present day story of Harry Potter. The mythical basilisk could turn a creature to stone with just a look and could only be destroyed by seeing its own reflection in a mirror. Snow White’s step-mother appeals to her all-seeing mirror for confirmation of her beauty. Harry Potter finds the Mirror of Erised and sees in it what he desires most in life – his family.

The dictionary definition of ‘mirror’ is something that gives a faithful reflection. In fiction, mirrors do not have to play by the rules! This book contains fifteen newly written stories in which a mirror plays a vital part. One is a beautiful re-telling of the story of Narcissus and his reflection – perhaps the oldest mirror story of all – and the rest, brand new stories that reflect the imaginations of some of today’s finest writers. Read the stories in any order, then maybe you’ll want to go on and look at some of the novels written by these authors.

Enjoy!

The Story of Echo and Narcissus

In ancient times, when the old gods ruled from Mount Olympus, a handsome young hunter roamed the earth, trapping in his nets any prey that came within his reach.

He was sixteen years old, and already many young women, and men too, had fallen in love with him.

His name was Narcissus.

In the forest where he hunted, a young girl wandered, looking for flowers. She talked as she ran about, and her tongue, like her feet, was never still. But her speech was meaningless, for the goddess Juno, angered by the girl’s endless chatter, had cruelly condemned her only to repeat the words that others spoke.

Her name was Echo.

One day, worn out by the hunt, Narcissus lay down in the shade of a spreading tree and closed his eyes. Echo ran past and saw him. She stopped at once when she saw the boy, then crept towards him and stood looking down at him, at the dark curls falling over his high forehead, the blush of red on his cheek, and the slender strong hands that still held his nets as he slept. And as she gazed at him, she fell in love.

She longed to touch his hand, to wake him and tell him that she loved him, but she could not. The only words she could utter would be echoes of his own.

She crept away and hid behind a tree.

I’ll wait, she thought. When he wakes up I’ll follow him and listen. Perhaps he’ll say something I can repeat, to show him that I love him.

At last Narcissus opened his eyes, sighed, sat up and stretched himself. Then he looked round. With the sharp senses of the hunter he knew he was not alone.

‘Who’s there?’ he called out.

Echo trembled at the sound of his voice, lightly shaking the branch she was holding. The leaves rattled and a leaf fell to the ground.

‘Who’s there?’ Narcissus called again.

He thought a wild animal must be lurking in the bushes, ready to leap out at him, so he snatched up his nets and ran forward to catch it. Echo stepped silently aside and hid herself under an overhanging rock.

Puzzled, Narcissus moved on through the forest and, flitting noiselessly from tree to tree, Echo followed him. Often he stopped and looked over his shoulder, and she froze in her tracks, so that in the dappled light that shone through the leaves overhead, he would mistake her for the trunk of a young sapling, or a shaft of light, shining on a boulder.

All day she followed him, waiting for her chance, her heart brimming over with love and longing.

At last, when the sun was setting, Narcissus stopped. He could no longer ignore the uneasy prickling in his neck, that told him by his hunter’s instinct that he was being followed.

‘Whoever you are,’ he called out angrily, ‘show yourself! Come here!’

‘Come here!’ answered Echo, taking her chance, and summoning all her courage, she stepped out into the open and ran up to him, her eyes soft with adoration.

Narcissus stepped back.

‘What’s this? Who are you?’ he said.

‘Who are you?’ repeated Echo, letting her voice linger on the final word.

She stepped near to him, but dazzled by his beauty did not notice the cold disdain in his eyes.

‘Stop! Don’t touch me!’ cried Narcissus.

‘Touch me!’ laughed Echo, delighted that at last the words she was forced to say reflected her true feelings, and she tried to throw her arms round his neck.

Narcissus pushed her roughly aside. He had never known love, and he had none to give.

‘What are you doing?’ he shouted angrily. ‘How dare you think that I could love you?’