The Dancing Girl and the Music Box Heart

Deep in the forest, a woodcarver creates charms for good fortune and beautiful carved figurines. His finest work is a figurine of a girl dancing, so detailed it looks as if she could come to life.But no one seems to appreciate the artistry of his carvings, or the utility of his charms. He travels to village after village peddling his wares, and no one buys.Legend says that far to the north lives a spirit who can grant the power to change the human heart. Penniless and with no other options, the woodcarver makes the journey.No one told him the spirit would ask for his own heart in exchange.Or how easily a real-life dancing girl, armed with the innocence of childhood, could undo the power he gave so much for.This short story is 10,000 words long. It is also available in Devil's Bargains, a short story collection.