I had also played around with an alternative ending. If you read the story up to and including Bell Girl VI then continue here...
7. After several uneventful years a young man
started coming in to the library on a Tuesday morning and he shyly complimented
the Bell Girl on her delicate porcelain skin. Although he was rather short the
Bell Girl thought he had very kind eyes and she started to look forward to
Tuesdays. They became friends and had lunch together in the park every day and talked
about books and fed the ducks and picked blackberries.
8. Then one day the young man knelt down in
front of the Bell Girl and asked her to marry him. The Bell Girl knew she would
have to tell him her secret even though it might mean losing her dearly beloved
friend. However, much to her surprise, when she had finished her story, the
young man leaned across and kissed her gently. Naturally the bell girl could
hardly contain herself and she knew that any moment they would hear the loud,
discordant clanging which she had tried so long to suppress.
9. Now in some fairy tales that kiss
might have transformed the little man in to a prince and changed the Bell Girl
into a princess. But not in this one. However, what they heard surprised and
delighted them both. The sound was delicate and melodious to their ears and so lovely
that everyone in the park looked up and smiled.
10. I don’t know if the couple lived happily ever after but
they did open a book shop next door to the church and have several children. And in the evenings, when the bell ringers
were practicing, they would all go up in to the bell tower and dance and clang
and ring and sing at the top of their voices until it was time for supper.
THE END
