Once upon a time there was a beautiful farm girl named Eleanor whom everyone loved. She had two sisters who were also beautiful and loved, but Eleanor just happened to be the 'nice' one of whom everyone took advantage.

So you really can't blame her family for doing what they did the day a bear arrived at their house.

He banged his head against their door, practically summoning for himself a concussion, and when Eleanor's irritated father finally answered, said, very dizzily "I have come for your daughter."

Now this father was a good father who wanted the best for his girls, but he was also human and therefore afraid of giant talking bears, as most people with common sense would be. So he just frowned. "Did you escape from the secret genetics lab on that island on Lost?"

The bear wasn't amused. "No. I just want one of your girls, and if you don't give me one, I shall set your entire house and village on fire."

Since this bear could already talk, the father was ready to believe the creature was also skilled in pyrotechnics.

Eleanor, desperate to once again be the nice sister and save her family and village, ran to the door. "I will go with you, Talking Bear!" she said. "Just save my family!"

The father and the sisters just rolled their eyes, but when Eleanor was in one of her dramatic moods, there was nothing they could do.

So Eleanor and the bear went off together. He made her see lots and lots of scary, evil things. But then he arrived at a beautiful palace, apparently under the assumption that she was shallow.

Even though Eleanor had nice things, she was never satisfied. The bear was never around during the day, so they couldn't establish a real relationship. He came to her as a man, invisible, during the night, but apparently all he wanted was her body.

One day, while she was talking to her mom on the phone, she spoke of her unhappiness.

"Well," said her mom. "When he falls asleep, run off."

That sounded like a great idea, so the next night, after the bear had fallen asleep, she grabbed a flashlight and packed her things. But she accidentally knocked over a pumpkin-spice scented candle and woke up her husband.

"Wretched girl!" he screamed. "What have you done? I didn't have much longer of this spell, and now I must return to my step-mother's to marry an ugly troll!" Then he turned into a raven and flew off.

Eleanor was sure that the talking bear/prince really wanted her to come after him and free him from the spell, but she had gotten over her doormat nature. Really, she could care less.

So she went home, developed a friendship based on friendship, respect, and love with a nice village boy named Eduardo, and married him instead.

The End.