Three White Ghosts

By Briana Byron

In the valley of Tarrytown, there lived three sisters. One sister, Aliana, was beautiful and had many suitors, and since she was young, did many dramatic and silly things without thinking. Another was Morgana, who was very good at bargaining in the market and went there every day to buy something beautiful for a very small price. Last, Lohria was motherly to Aliana and Morgana. She cooked for them, sewed for them, cleaned for them and loved them to death. This story is about what happened to them.

One day, Aliana told Lohria that she was visiting a friend who lived a few hours away. Lohria said, “Be back before dark please.” And Aliana was on her way. She left the house in her fur overcoat, for it was a cold day, and went into the forest to stay until dark. As dark crept up the valley, Aliana left the forest and went to hide behind a tree in their yard. She waited until all the lights were out in her house (by looking through the windows), and then quietly as a mouse, she crept into the house, gathered up some bread and cheese, took a bottle of milk from the milk box, and packed all this in a basket. Then she took a canvas bag and filled it with her belongings. She put the basket in the bag and went to the door. She put on her cloak, grabbed the bag, and swept out the door. She walked up the mountain, and up to a mansion. She went to the balcony overlooking the valley and turned around. As she looked at her valley, she realized its beauty would take anyone's breath away. There were dark green treetops that looked so lush, dark streams and tiny lakes scattered around, and pretty little houses everywhere. She sighed and looked at the sky. The stars were beautiful around the crescent moon. As she looked and waited, she heard footsteps. She smiled, knowing who it was, and turned around. As the footsteps neared, she heard a deep pleasant voice say, “I'm sorry I made you wait m'lady.” Then she sat with her suitor, his name was Alexander, and listened to him tell her intellectual things. They stayed there until the next night, having fun.

When Aliana did not return home, Lohria took sick to her bed for fear of all the terrible things that might have happened. Morgana knew there was nothing she could do, so she set off looking for Aliana. Even though it stayed warm on the hilltop, it began to snow in the valley. Morgana walked on and on, but soon it became too cold. Morgana could not walk any further, so she lay down to sleep, and soon she froze to death.

Lohria was all alone and began to search for her sisters. She soon came to Morgana's lifeless body and cried, and then she died of a broken heart.

As Aliana got up to leave, someone appeared on the hilltop. It was another one of her suitors, his name was Fredrik. He walked straight toward Aliana, but seeing Aliana whimper and throw her arms around Alexander, Fredrik said to Aliana,” Never go near this man or I shall kill him. You stay with me all of your life and marry me, cook and clean for me, and do what I tell you to.” Aliana said in a hoarse whisper, “Never!” But he did not hear her. What he did hear was Aliana's favorite suitor, Alexander, draw his sword. Alexander carried Aliana to the balcony, he climbed up a vine and set Aliana on the ledge of the balcony. He turned to Fredrik and shouted, “We shall fight for Aliana. Winner gets Aliana, and loser loses his life.” With that, he leapt from the balcony and the fight began. Aliana saw that Alexander was winning. Alexander knocked Fredrik to the ground, then he turned to face the balcony. Aliana began to climb down the balcony, but she heard Alexander cry, “I—Aliana!!!” Then she heard Fredrik cry out in triumph. She turned and saw that Fredrik had killed Alexander from behind. Aliana shouted, “I hate you, Fredrik. You will never marry me.” Aliana climbed to the top of the balcony and jumped all the way to the bottom of the hill. It was a miracle she made it. After running all the way home, she found both of her sisters were dead. She thought she had no reason to live, and she stuck her dagger through her heart.

People say that the three sisters still haunt the village. Aliana haunts the hilltop, Morgana haunts the marketplace, and Lohria haunts families that love each other. Everywhere they go, they are white from head to toe.