A quaint little shop that sold the grandest gowns in town now sits dusty and locked away. The lovely seamstress fell ill and died alone one dreary winter night.
Yet her spirit stays in the forlorn mannequin that toils away.
Death paid a visit and lurks close by.
But alas he can't fetch her soul away for you see magic was cast and here she shall stay sewing away.

Long ago when the seamstress was a wee bairn her mother angered a widower that lived tucked away on the outskirts of town. She denied her a elegant hand stitched gown. When she claimed she could only pay with yards of fine wool. Foolishly she shunned the old women and ordered her away, not realizing she was a enchantress sent to test the seamstress of generosity and kindness. The seamstress only caring of money and fame had her selfishness to blame.

The enchantress cast a spell on the seamstress. She would work with not a moment of rest day in and out. She labored on gown after gown. Her fingers wore down to the bone. She frowned and shrieked at her infant daughter each time she cried. One day the enchantress entered the cottage and found the seamstress died.

The baby lay in a cradle silently near by. The enchantress not realizing the magic was passed to the child took her for her own and cared for her. Years later the enchantress sent the girl at the age of eighteen on her way into the world. The girl had a passion for fashion and traveled as far as her coin would carry her and there she opened her shop making the most elegant gowns until sickness found it's way into her life. It started with a mere cough and chill than each day she fell more ill.

One night curled up in bed the girl never woke, very much dead. Her soul entered the mannequin and there it stays, working day after day producing the most exquisite gowns to be found. Only the act of kindness will break the spell. In the little apartment above the shop the mannequin toils away. Snippets of ribbon and lace are scattered upon the ground. There stacks of exquisite gowns can be found.

Part 2

The mannequin holds the soul of the kind gentle girl who sadly paid a eternity for her mothers evil ways. Her sadness etched in her beautiful face. The key in the lock and the sound of footsteps echoed through the little shop. The mannequin stops to listen a spark of hope from deep inside.Perhaps she would finally be found and set free.

The girl just eighteen, spins around in the dress shop excitement glows on her face. She exclaims to her brother near by. " This shall be the start of the worlds most famous gowns!" New in town, the shop caught her eye and she begged and pleaded her brother to buy it for her. He agreed, but not ready to put roots down already has plans to leave town. His sister shall stay and for the first time make her way in the world alone. Her brother anxious to get on the next train bid her goodbye wishing her well.

The girl dusted and swept until very late. Exhausted from a long treacherous day of work she climbed the stairs to have a look around her apartment. Upon opening the door she was astonished at what she has found. Beautifully stitched gowns of every color where piled high. The mannequin standing ideally by in the corner watches curiously. The girl smiles as she looks around the cozy room.

Grabbing a broom she begins to sweep the bits of buttons and lace that cover the ground. The mannequin catches her eye and she gasps in delight. The girl giggles touching the mannequin and curtseys, "how do you do madam?" The mannequin quietly stands, one single tear slides down her cheek. The girl seeks the comfort of the warm little bed in the corner of the room and is fast asleep very soon. The girl wakes rubbing the sleep from her eyes and to her surprise laid out for her is the most beautiful lavender gown.

"It fits perfectly" she exclaims, "as if it was meant for me." She glances at the mannequin and chats away about all her plans to make and sell fabulous gowns. The girl works through the day, cleaning and putting gowns on display. The shop shall open the very next day. That night as the girl slept she had odd dreams of a enchantress and magic gowns. The shop doors open bright and early. All the ladies from town scurry over to look at all the exquisite gowns.

Almost every one sold by the end of the day. The girl notices a girl with her face pressed to the glass dressed in rags. The girl opens the door and the bedraggled young girl frightened she will be shooed away exclaims, " I meant no harm." The seamstress very much alarmed grabs her arm and invites her in. Fits her in a enchanting rose colored gown. Offers her a job with pay if she returns early the next day. The act of kindness puts magic in motion and the dressmaker has no notion as to what has begun.

Part 3

As promised the dressmaker hires the girl teaches her to stitch and hem. Keeping everything tidy within the shop. Each night she returns to her room to find more gowns each finer than the day before. Always bits of fabric and lace on the floor. She glances at the mannequin and looks closely into her eyes. To her surprise, she blinks.

The dressmaker can hardly believe her eyes, cries out. After some time she finds she has the courage to approach the mannequin once more. The mannequin quietly speaks and tells the story of how she died and magic makes her stay to make gowns day after day. It's magic she says, exclaiming how she longs to be free. The dressmaker in tears listen to her story.

She vows to help set her free. Neither has a clue magic is already underway. The dressmaker spends the day with the mannequin and the girl hired to help. They laugh and chat stitching away on gowns. The mannequin happy to at last found someone to tell her story. As the days go by the dressmaker works in the shop by day.

Each night she studies every book she can find on magic of every kind. One day a young man enters the dress shop nervously glancing around. He claims not long ago he found a book in a cottage abandoned for years. The book tells of magic and spells and the mention of this very dress shop. A gust of wind rushes though the shop and gives the dressmaker chills.

He keeps talking of a beautiful dressmaker that fell ill and died. He nervously looks around and mumbles looking down, "There's a magic mannequin he states, it reads in the book it can be found here." He claims he has to see it with his own eyes. The dressmaker taking him by surprise, grabs his hand and rushes up the stairs. There stands the mannequin fabric still clutched in her hand. The young man returns each day trying to help find a way to set the mannequin girl free.

The dressmaker and the young man fall in love. The shop selling thousands of gowns to rich and poor no one ever turned away, even if they lack the ability to pay. The magic spell finally broken the mannequin thanks them with tears in her eyes as her spirit is set free. She presses her scissors in the dressmakers hand. She whispers softly "a token to remember me and winks." As she slowly fades away she calls "a part of me shall always stay." In the days past the dress shop sold every single gown with orders of every kind.

It's said all over town they are the most beautiful gowns you can find. For you see a bit of magic was left in the scissors left behind and the dressmaker came to find that she could make lovely gowns with a snip and a snap. When asked how she made such devine gowns in such a short time, she smiles softly looking at the mannequin and states "with talent, hard work, and the magic of kindness!" The dressmaker now much older with children of her own. The book that tells the magic tale of the mannequin girl and enchanted gowns shall never be found. It's said those magic scissors can still be found tucked away in the dress shop. There a mannequin still stands. bits of fabric and lace still litter the ground each night.
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