The Princess and the Goat

Every time my five-year-old sister draws me a picture, it is always of the exact same thing.

A princess and a strange deer-like animal. Smiling.

I've thought to ask her about it, but really, what is there to question?

We were sitting in the back of our parents' mini van one day and I asked her if maybe she wanted to draw me a little story about her princess and goat. She got out her pen and notebook and solemnly drew the classic intro.

"The princess and the goat were talking."

"Okay," I said. "Then what happens to them?"
I expected a dance party or something. They seemed so happy.

She'd never answer right away. She'd just quietly take out another sheet and draw some more.

"Strangers came."

"...Strangers?"
She drew the hands and arms then. "They're really big. AND scary."
"What- what did the strangers do to them?"

"The strangers stole them."

"Did the goat fight back?"
"No."
"Did the princess fight back?"
"No. They just screamed and screamed."
"..."
"..."
"...What did the strangers do then?"
"They took them away."
"Where did they take them to?!"

 "Jail."

"...jail?"
"Jail."
"Were they sad?"
"Yeah. They were crying."
"How did they escape?"

"The guard was sleeping, and the princess sneaked through the cage, and stole his keys."

"Then what?!" I was getting excited.

"The person woke up."

______

She put her notebook back in her bag. She put her pen back in the cup holder.

"Did- sh- what? What happened then??"

"That's just the end."

"'The person woke up'?"

"That's what happened. He woke up and chased them and chased them."

And that was all.

The end.