Throwback: Two Daughters
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Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is a throwback episode. Tune in to hear one of our classic stories from the archive that you might have missed the first time around.

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Once upon a time, in an old village, there was a father with two twin daughters. Their names were Ava and Mia, and they were identical down to the last freckle, just exactly the same. He loved them both the same, too, which is to say he loved them both with all of his heart. From the time they were old enough to blink up at him with their big brown eyes, he knew that he would do anything to make them happy.

And making them happy was easy enough when they were babies. He fed them their favorite food for dinner, mashed peas. He sang them their favorite lullaby at bedtime, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. And during the day, they played their favorite game, hide and go seek. They were good girls, and he was a good dad, and their house was full of laughter.

When they got a little older, it was trickier, but still he managed. The girls still looked identical down to the last freckle, but their personalities were starting to change. Of course, their father still loved them the same, but it wasn't as easy to make them both happy.

Now he had to make two dinners, chicken for Ava and salad for Mia. They still liked the same lullaby, though, and their games of hide-and-seek were better than ever. Their shouts and peals of laughter would echo across the neighborhood.

They got a little older still, and things got more complicated. They were still good girls, identical down to the last freckle, but they were less and less the same. Now it was getting to be a challenge for their father to keep them both happy. Just take bedtime, for example. I want to hear a song about the moon, Ava would say.

"'That's okay, but I want to hear a song about the stars instead,' Mia would counter. And the argument would start. In the end, their father would just sing both songs, one after the other. The same with dinner and even games. He'd cook chicken and rice for Ava, who loved a hearty meal. Then he'd prepare a salad for Mia, who had become a vegetarian."

Hide-and-seek was still fun, but even that wasn't often agreed on. Finally, they got even older, and they weren't so much alike anymore. They wore their hair differently. They wore different clothes, and they even spoke differently. They were, in short, two completely different people. And really, the only things that were still identical were their freckles. Different as they were, their father still loved them the same.

Sometimes the girls would tease him and try to get him to pick a favorite, but he always said the same thing. My heart is split plum down the middle, and you both have a half. The girls accepted this answer, but they didn't particularly like it. They were still good girls, but they had gotten used to their father doing everything to make them happy.

In fact, they had gotten so used to their father saying yes, they didn't know how to handle it when he finally told them no. It all came to a head one day when the girls were a little more than 12 years old. They were upset about the weather. It had been blustery and gray for days, always on the verge of raining but never quite able to manage it.

It was gloomy, depressing weather, and the girls asked their father about it constantly. "'Daddy, can't you please fix it outside?' Ava whined. "'Yeah, Daddy, this weather is the worst. Make it better,' agreed Mia. Their father said of course and headed out of the house. He didn't know how to change the weather any more than he knew how to stop the sun from rising, but he did know old Maggie, the village witch."

It was known that she had some power for nature magic, and for the right price, you could get a weather spell. The father didn't know what the right price might be, so he was sure to bring a full purse when he made his way to her hut. He raised his fist to knock, but she called out before his fist hit the wood. "'Enrory, father of Ava and Mia?' He smiled and pushed open the door."

Inside the hut, it was clean and orderly, but redolent of strange spices. Maggie made them tea, and he told her of his daughters, and how he'd do anything to make them happy. "'This weather is just making them miserable, and I can't stand to see them that way,' he finished. "'I've heard you know some spells for the weather. Would you be able to make it sunny?'

Maggie nodded and began to rummage around her hut, pulling down a dash of this and a leg of that. She started combining it all in a big stone bowl with sharp ridges inside. Of course, a sunshine spell. That'll be ten guilders, please. The father looked in his purse. He only had twenty guilders, all told, but it was worth it if it made them happy. He passed Maggie the coins.

She bit each one and then licked her lips. Sir, the genuine article and tasty too. The sun will be out by the time you get home, my friend, she said and ushered him out the door. Well, he had his doubts, but sure enough, on the walk home, the sunshine streamed through the clouds. The hazy gray quilt that had smothered the village was burned away and the sky was blue once more.

Girls, he called when he came back inside. I've been to see Maggie, and she's made the sunshine for us. Come and see. Ava ran out into the sunshine, arms raised, twirling. Yes, thank you, Daddy. It's perfect. Her father beamed to hear it, but his joy was short-lived. After a single joyous evening, unhappiness struck again.

The next day, Father found Mia in the backyard sulking. The sun was baking down on the little garden she had planted, and the greens were beginning to wilt. She cried when she saw him. The days of shade and then the strong sun is killing my garden. I need rain. Can't you please talk to Maggie and make it rain, Daddy? Of course, he couldn't bear to see her so sad and went right back to Maggie's hut.

Again, he lifted his hand to knock and was preempted. Come in, Rory, father of Ava and Mia. He sighed and pushed open the door. Back so soon? I still see the sun shining, so surely you can't want a refund. Also no refunds. Hut policy.

Father sank down into a chair and accepted a past mug of steaming tea. "'I don't want a refund. I want another spell. The sun is too bright for Mia's plants. They need a good watering, and it's been weeks since our last hard rain.' Maggie nodded and began to rummage around her hut, pulling down a teaspoon of this and an eye of that. She started combining it all in an earthenware jug with fluted sides."

Horse, a rain spell. That'll be ten guilders, please. The father once again opened his purse. Ten guilders was all he had left, but he'd spend it gladly to make his daughters happy. He passed Maggie the coins. She sniffed each one deeply and then placed them on her cheeks. Ah, once again the genuine article and fragrant, too.

"'Best hurry home now, it's a hard rain gonna fall,' she said and ushered him out the door. Of course, Father had learned his lesson and didn't doubt Maggie at all. He pulled his jacket up over his head and a moment later, the rain started to fall in buckets. The earth drank it in gratefully.

Girls, he called when he came back inside. I've been to see Maggie, and she's made it rain for us. Come and see. Mia ran out into the rain, arms raised, twirling. Yes, thank you, Daddy. It's perfect. Her father beamed to hear it, but this time his joy was even shorter-lived. Not a moment later, Ava stomped in, dripping wet. My son, it's gone. Daddy, you need to fix it.

Mia followed in behind her, pulling back her rain-drenched hair. No, Daddy, we need rain! No, we need sun! Rain! Sun! Rain! Sun! Well, when I feel the sun, I feel a warm and golden love. The sunshine keeps the group and makes everyone want to say, I love the sun. I love the sun.

I love you, love we all When I feel rain, I feel that life is all You need rain to rainbow spring It makes everyone want to sing I love the rain I love the rain 'Cause I love you, love we all love the rain Not everyone I love the sun I love the rain I love the sun I love the sun

I love the rain. The sun. The rain. Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad-free, subscribe to Wondery Plus Kids on Apple Podcasts. Do you want to spend another summer stuck at home? Hey, Jim. How's your back? Uh, you know. I hear ya. Leave the small talk behind because Disney and Pixar invite you on an out-of-this-world adventure.

Thanks! And now back to the story.

Their father looked back and forth between them. He had always done everything he could to make them happy. But this? This was impossible, wasn't it? Wait here, he cried. I'll be right back. This time, he sprinted over to Maggie's and didn't even wait for her greeting before throwing open her door. Maggie, I need another spell. The old witch blinked up at him with her owlish eyes.

"'Another spell so soon? I see the rain spell is still working. What do you need?' "'I need the rain spell and the sun spell both, at the same time.' Maggie laughed for a moment and then stopped when she saw he was serious. "'A sunshine spell and a rain spell together? It's never been done. It could be dangerous. Who knows how the weather will react?'

Please, Father said, sinking to his knees, hands clasped. I'm begging you, I need it for my daughters. Maggie looked down at him for a long while and then took a deep breath.

but it will be costly. I've got no guilders left, he said. The old witch started to shake her head, but father kept going. Wait, my watch. It was my father's, old gold. It's worth 30 guilders at least. He unbuckled it from his wrist and put it on her table. Maggie picked it up and held it to her ear, listening intently.

Hmm, third time pays for all, and this is the genuine article, and melodic too. Best get home now. Old Maggie's never done this before, and things may be a little wild. She rolled up her sleeves and ushered him out the door. Father stepped outside and the sky began to shudder. The sun shone down and then, was that...

Yes, rain started falling from the heavens too. It had actually worked. He burst into the house at a dead run. Girls, girls, I've been to see Maggie. I've told her to make it sunny and rainy together. The girls came over, bewildered. How is that possible? Asked Mia. Daddy, did it work? Asked Ava. Let's go see, he answered, opening the door and leading them outside.

For a moment, the girls both cheered, but only for a moment. Thunder crashed so loudly, the house rattled behind them. Doors all along the street opened and people came outside to see. They were chased right back inside by a wind that howled like a werewolf, shaking windows in their frames. The sun stretched and blurred and the sky darkened then brightened again.

Dogs began to howl and cats began to screech. Rain started and stopped and then fell in buckets that swirled madly in the air. Daddy, look!

On the horizon, a dark smudge was forming. Under the wild sun and rain, a maelstrom began to spin. It started slouching towards their town, growing larger even as it grew closer. Soon, the wind found its harmony and began to roar again, and the maelstrom became a tornado, one so large it seemed to fill the sky.

No, what have I done? Scooping up the girls in his arms to protect them, Father ran for Maggie's hut once more. This time he didn't knock, but slammed through her door, falling in a wet, wind-blown heap on her floor with the girls. The spells, you need to stop the spells, he croaked. Maggie blinked and then looked out the window. Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hand.

She began grabbing ingredients and throwing them in a twisting spiral glass. There was a pinch of this and a spleen of that. Hurry, cried the girls. The walls of the hut began to rattle and shake. Jars and glasses and vials and jugs were shimmied off their perches and shattered on the ground in a symphony of destruction.

The air was full of strange smells, ranging from good to revolting. The wind ripped free some boards from the hut's wall and sent them cartwheeling away. Through the gap they left, the tornado loomed into view, the sun and rain still switching wildly off and on. Finish, please, the girls yelled.

Maggie looked around, panicking. My eye of newt! It got blown over! I need one! Quickly now!

The roaring grew louder. The wind peeled off more of the hut's boards, the nails screeching in protest as they were wrenched free one by one. The tornado was getting closer. Soon they'd all be sucked inside. Father rolled and saw the newt's eyes on the floor, like tiny orange-black beads spilling out of a cracked brown jar. He hefted the jar in one hand. "'Maggie, catch!'

He threw it as hard as he dared. It soared through the air towards Maggie's outstretched hand. As she tried to catch it, the wind howled and the world shook. The jar was sucked out through the hole in the wall. Maggie cried out in horror.

Then Father was against her, taking her hand. Some eyes had spilled from the cracked jar into his sleeve, and he poured them now into Maggie's hand. Bracing against the wind, she dropped one into her concoction and howled out her magic words, the wind ripping them from her lips. The tornado seemed to scream, and they all screamed back. And then there was silence. Everyone okay?

Father said, helping Maggie to her feet. Yeah, we're okay, the girls said together. They were under the table, huddled in each other's arms. We would like to go home now, please. Finally, Father said with a smile, something you agree on. They walked home together, hand in hand. The next day, when Father got up to make his girls breakfast, he found them waiting for him at the table.

"'You two are up early. Just give me a few and I'll get food going. Eggs and bacon for you, Ava, and toast and jam for you, Mia?' "'Actually,' said Ava, "'today we made our own breakfast, and we made one for you, too.' Mia brought over a plate. It had fried eggs on toast, his favorite. "'Girls, thank you,' he said, surprised. "'We wanted to say sorry.'

Mia said. ''We know the storm was our fault. We never agree on anything, but you always try to make us happy.'' ''Yeah, we love you, Dad,'' Ava added. ''And we're not gonna do that to you anymore. From now on, we'll agree to disagree.'' ''Yeah,'' said Mia with a wry smile. ''It only took a tornado for us to learn.'' ''We got your watch back, too,'' Ava said, putting it on the table with a smile.

How? He asked with wonder. We helped Maggie put all her ingredients and stuff back where they belong. I'm going to smell like eye of newt for a week. They all laughed and sat to eat their breakfast. In the end, father was convinced it was the best meal he'd ever had. The end.

Today's story, Two Daughters, was an adaptation of a traditional story written for you by Daniel Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon, with a song by us both. If you would like to support Stories Podcast, you can leave us a five-star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch available at storiespodcast.com slash shop, commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram at storiespodcast, or simply tell your friends about us. Thanks for listening!

It is estimated that over 4 million people have been abducted by alien life forms. But only one of them asked for it. This is Elio of Earth. If any aliens are listening, come and get me. From Disney and Pixar. Yes! He'll go where no one has gone before. Welcome to the community. What is this place? These are the lava tunnels. Disney and Pixar's Elio. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Only in theaters. Tickets available now.