Brave (Merida’s Story)

Short tale: Brave (Merida’s Story)

Enjoy it! Here’s the audio story!

King Fergus and Queen Elinor were the rulers of the kingdom of DunBrock – in Scotland. They had triplets and a daughter, the beautiful Princess Merida.

All four were quite naughty!

Queen Elinor wanted Merida to behave like a perfect princess.

But Merida liked to sneak out of the palace to practice with her bow and arrow. She was a very skilled archer.

One night, the queen announced that three clans would come to visit. Each clan would present a young man as a candidate to ask for Mérida’s hand in marriage.

Merida thought this was a lousy idea. “I refuse to do it, you’re not going to force me” – Merida shouted.

Although Merida did not want to submit to such a process, the suitors arrived. Merida waited on her throne to watch her suitors compete for her.

She knew she was a far more talented archer than all of them combined.

After each of the suitors had their chance to win, Merida marched to the middle of the field.

The queen told her to stop, but Merida ignored her and shot all the arrows straight into the center of the target.

She won! Now she wouldn’t have to marry anyone!

Queen Elinor was furious that the contest had been ruined, and demanded that Merida correct her behavior.

“A wedding is what you want!” – Merida shouted. And angry and frustrated, she tore up a tapestry showing her and her family. After this, she ran off.

Merida ran into the depths of the forest, where a magical light guided her to a small house in the middle of the forest.

Inside, she met a witch and asked her to change her mother. Without any delay, the witch created an enchanted cake.

Back at the castle, Merida gave the cake to her mother, and watched closely as Elinor bit into it.

At first nothing happened. But after a short time, the queen began to feel ill.

Merida took her mother to bed. And in less time than she thought, a beast crawled out from under the sheets!

The witch’s cake turned Queen Elinor… into a bear! Merida knew her Mom was in danger, so she took her out of the castle.

Merida and Elinor – now in bear form – went to see the witch, but found only a message that read:

“Fate can change, look within and repair the bond torn by pride.”

Merida would need more time to understand the meaning of that message, but for now what she needs to do is teach her Mom to fish.

Merida realized that to repair the bond and break the spell, she would have to repair the tapestry she had torn.

After they sneaked into the castle, King Fergus discovered them.

The king drew his sword. “It’s not what you think!” – Merida shouted.

The king did not stop, but the bear fought back with its claws as it was wounded.

The noise drew the attention of the visiting clansmen. Terrified, Elinor ran out of the castle.

Merida grabbed a needle, thread and the tapestry – and then mounted her horse. She also took her little brothers.

They ate the enchanted cake and turned into little bears! To save time, Merida sewed the tapestry while they were on their way to save their Mom.

When Merida arrived, she wrapped her Mom with the repaired tapestry. “I need you, Mom,” Merida said, crying. “I love you.”

King Fergus was stunned to realize that this bear, was his beloved wife.

Merida felt a hand touch her hair – the spell was broken! Elinor became human. Merida’s little brothers were no longer bears.

The queen smiled at Merida. From that moment on, Merida could be a princess and she could be herself too.

END

Source: Disney

Story reflection: The story “Brave” tells the story of Princess Merida and her struggle against the expectations and traditions that her mother, Queen Elinor, wanted to impose on her. Merida wanted to be free and follow her own path, while her mother wanted her to behave like a perfect princess and marry a suitor of her choice. The story shows us the importance of accepting and respecting the differences between people and having the freedom to choose our own destiny.
It also teaches us that it is important to recognize our mistakes and repair the damage we have caused, especially when it comes to family relationships. In short, the story invites us to be brave and to fight for our freedom and happiness, while maintaining respect and love for our family and traditions.

Frequently asked questions about the story Brave

¿What is the story of Merida (Brave) about?

The story tells the tale of a princess named Merida who fights against her mother’s expectations to marry and instead, seeks to find her own path in life.

¿Why does Merida refuse to marry any of the suitors?

Merida refuses to marry any of the suitors because she wants to decide her own destiny and does not want to be forced to marry by tradition.

¿How does Queen Elinor transform?

Queen Elinor transforms into a bear after eating an enchanted cake that Princess Merida gave her to change her destiny.

¿What message did the witch leave for Merida?

The message the witch left for Merida was, “Fate can change, look within and repair the bond torn by pride.”

¿What does Merida have to do to break Queen Elinor's spell?

Merida has to repair the tapestry she tore to break Queen Elinor’s spell.

¿What does Merida learn during the story?

Merida learns to appreciate the importance of the mother-daughter bond and to accept responsibility for her actions.

¿How does King Fergus react when he discovers Merida and Queen Elinor in their bear form?

King Fergus draws his sword to protect his family, but then is stunned to realize that this bear was his wife.

¿What does Merida do to repair her relationship with Queen Elinor?

Merida repaired the tapestry she had torn and showed Queen Elinor that she valued their relationship and their mother-daughter bond.

¿What does the title Brave mean in the story?

The title “Brave” in the story refers to Princess Merida’s bravery to fight for her own destiny and her family.

¿What is the main message of Merida's tale?

The main message of the tale is the importance of accepting responsibility for our actions, valuing the family bond and having the courage to fight for our own destiny.