Rivka the Brave and the Three Doors – Read and Print

By Rachel Dunstan Muller, copyright 2022

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Of all the girls in the kingdom of Once-Upon-a-Time, Rivka was the bravest. Now, Rivka had three older brothers, and after they’d gone off to have adventures, Rivka decided it was time for her to go off as well.

Her brothers had taken the three biggest horses when they set out; all that was left was a shaggy pony named Willow. So, Rivka packed some food and clothes into a bundle and climbed onto Willow’s back.

“It’s a wide world out there,” her mother said. “But you’re a clever girl, Rivka. Be kind and keep your wits about you, and you’ll be fine.”

Rivka nodded. Then with a kiss and a wave goodbye, she was on the road.

Well, Rivka and her pony hadn’t gone far when they came to a stone bridge across a mountain stream. “Clip clop, clip clop, clip, clop,” they went. But they weren’t even halfway to the other side, when they heard a booming voice. “Who’s that crossing my bridge!”

Now, Rivka recognized that voice at once – it was the king of the trolls. But Rivka wasn’t afraid; she was the bravest girl in the kingdom! “I didn’t mean to disturb you, your trollness,” she said politely. “It’s just me and my pony. We’ll be out of your way in the blink of an eye.”

But before Willow could reach the end of the bridge, the troll king was there, blocking the way. “Oh, no, no, no,” said the troll king. “You can’t cross my bridge without paying the toll.”

“I’m sorry,” said Rivka. “I’ve only just started on my adventure. I don’t have any gold or jewels or treasure yet.”

The troll king grunted and tried to make himself look even bigger and uglier than usual.

But Rivka didn’t budge.

“Alright,” the troll king said at last. “Answer three riddles, and I’ll let you pass.”

Rivka nodded, and so the troll king gave the first riddle. “You can only use me when I am broken. What am I?”

Well Rivka was a clever girl; she knew the answer right away. But she didn’t want to offend the troll king, so she closed her eyes and pretended to think for a moment before answering. “An egg can only be used if it is broken.”

(Growl) said the troll king. “Alright – answer this. I am tall when I’m young, shorter as I grow older. What am I?”

Again, Rivka pretended to think before answering. “You must be a candle. A candle is tall when it’s young, and gets shorter as it burns down.”

Oh, the troll king was not happy. He waved his fists and stomped his feet before sharing the final riddle. “If you drop me, I’ll crack; if you smile, I’ll smile back. What am I?”

Rivka tried not to smile herself. “Hmm,” she said. “You must be a mirror.”

Oh, the troll king was angry then. He stomped so hard, that the stone bridge shook beneath them. “One more!” he said. “One more riddle, or I won’t let you pass.”

Rivka crossed her arms and looked fierce herself. “But that’s not fair. You said you’d let me pass if I answered three riddles – and I did.”

(Growl) said the troll king. “One more riddle. If you lose, you go back the way you came, and you tell everyone what a fierce troll king I am.”

“And if I don’t lose?” said Rivka. “If I answer your riddle?”

“I’ll give you this,” said the troll king – and he held up the big silver key that hung around his neck.

Well, the whole reason that Rivka had left home was to have an adventure, so of course she agreed.

The troll king stood as straight as he could, and smiled a great, big, ugly troll smile. “I’m as big as you are, but I don’t weigh a thing. What am I?”

Well, this time Rivka really did have to think for a moment. But she was in luck. As she was puzzling over the riddle, the sun slipped a little lower in the sky behind her, and her shadow got a little longer. “That’s it!” she said. “My shadow is as big as me and doesn’t weigh a thing. The answer is my shadow!”

Well, if the troll king had been angry before, he was furious now. He stomped and glowered and growled. But then he took the key from his neck and threw it at Rivka.

“Thank you,” said Rivka. “I don’t suppose you could tell me what this key opens?”

“Three doors in the mountain,” the troll king said with a huff. “But beware. Go through the red door or go through the blue door. But if you go through the grey door – well, that will be the end of all your fun.”

Well as you can imagine, Rivka was very curious. She wanted to see what was behind those doors. The sun was going down; it was almost night – but still, Rivka urged Willow forward, until they reached the foot of the mountain. And just as the troll king had promised, there were three doors: red on the left, blue in the middle, and grey on the right.

“I suppose we could camp here tonight, and wait until morning to try the first door,” Rivka said to Willow. But she was just kidding, of course. She couldn’t wait to find out what lay behind those doors. She started with the red one – put the key in the lock, turned it, and opened the door.

On the other side was a wide passage lit with flickering torches. Now, I’d be a little nervous about entering that passage – but Rivka? She was the bravest girl in the kingdom. Down the passage, she rode her pony, deeper and deeper, until they came to a great big chamber lit with even more torches. And at the centre of the chamber was a banquet table covered with every tasty thing you can imagine. And if that wasn’t extraordinary enough, there were little mice scurrying back and forth, bringing more things to the table.

When the mice saw Rivka and Willow enter the chamber, they turned and bowed. Willow was given a bucket of water and a trough of sweet hay, while Rivka was led to the table and served one delicious food after another.

Both Rivka and Willow ate until their stomachs were full, and then they were led to a smaller room, where there was a soft bed for Rivka, and a pile of straw beside it for Willow. And when they were all snug and settled in, both Rivka and her pony went to sleep.

The next morning, they had breakfast, of course – and it was just as delicious as dinner had been the night before. Then Rivka thanked the mice, and together she and Willow rode back up the passage and out into the sunlight.

Well, after what she’d discovered through the red door, Rivka couldn’t wait to see what was behind the blue door. She put the key in the lock, and it turned just as smoothly. Behind the blue door was another wide passage that went all the way through the mountain this time, right to the other side. The passage opened out into a little harbour on the ocean. There was a small sailing ship waiting in that harbour. The sailors on the ship were little mice, and they waved for Rivka and Willow to come aboard. Well, Rivka didn’t have to be asked twice. She’d wanted an adventure, and that’s exactly what she was getting!

Rivka and her pony spent the whole day sailing on that ship, from one little island to another. They saw all kinds of interesting things! At the end of the day, the little mice turned the ship around, and Rivka and Willow went back to the mountain. Again, Rivka led Willow through the red door, and again the little mice were waiting with a feast and a soft bed.

That’s how Rivka and her pony spent the next several days – sailing while the sun was shining, and eating and sleeping at nightfall.

But as much as she was enjoying herself, Rivka couldn’t help but wonder about the third door – the grey door. The troll king had told her that if she went through the grey door, that would be the end of all her fun. What could that possibly mean?

Rivka tried to put the grey door out of her mind. But the more she tried not to think about it, the more curious she became. Until finally one morning when she woke up, she just couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to know what was behind that grey door.      

As brave as Rivka was, she was still a little nervous as she turned the key in the lock. On the other side was another passage – but this one was smaller and gloomier than the others. It was too small for a pony – even a little one – so Rivka left Willow outside, and went into the tunnel herself.

Deeper and deeper, she went, until she reached a new chamber – a small gloomy chamber – full of sleeping mice. But when they heard Rivka come in, they all leapt up to greet her.

“Have you come to set us free?” they said, with their little whiskers twitching.

Now, none of the other mice had spoken to Rivka – not the mice in the dining chamber, not the mice on the sailing ship – so Rivka was quite surprised. “Set you – free?” she said. “Are you prisoners?”

“Oh yes,” said the little mice. “The troll king caught us stealing crumbs from under his table. He was so angry that he made us his prisoners. Until someone gives us the key to the three doors, we are doomed to serve in the banquet hall and on the sailing ship in the harbour. When we’re not serving, we come here to sleep.”

“Oh, you poor little mice,” said Rivka. And then she understood the troll king’s words. If she gave the key to the mice to set them free, she would never be able to enter the mountain again, or to eat at the banquet table, or to sail on the little ship. Her fun would be over – at least this fun. But she couldn’t keep the mice prisoners.

And so, instead, Rivka bowed to the little mice and held out the key. “Thank you for your hospitality,” she said. “And now, I set you free.”

Well, the mice were so happy, they offered Rivka one final banquet to celebrate their freedom, and one last journey on their sailing ship. And when they all finally said goodbye, the mice gave Rivka a little whistle. They promised that if Rivka ever got into trouble, all she had to do was blow that whistle, and the mice would come as fast as they could.

And so, with full bellies and happy memories, Rivka the brave and her pony Willow set off again. And they had many more adventures in the kingdom of Once-Upon-a-Time. But those will have to wait for another story. 

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