America: National Dictionary Day Project Idioms: Short Story Contest (10-graders) II prize Anastasia Shevtsova (Lyceum of Humanities)

The apple of discord. Once upon a time two elderly sisters, Agatha and Anita, lived in a small village. They twiddled their thumbs and both seemed to be wolves in sheeps clothing. When they were young, the apple of discord was tossed between them. A young boy Augustine, who was a Jack-of- all -trades in the village, used to visit Agatha to sing her his love songs. He became a stumbling-block for two sisters. On hearing about their love affairs, Anita became green with envy, because she set her cap on him too. She exclaimed Good Golly! I will drive a wedge between them and their love will go up in smoke So said-so done. Anita started making sheeps eyes at the young boy and managed to make the boy give her sister the brush-off. So, the chap did an about-face and went to Anita to sing her his songs. As a result, Agatha gave her sister the heave-ho. However, the couple was not happy go-lucky. Augustine soon left village for somewhere else. There was no sign of him, hide nor hair, whereas two sisters began to see each other to let the steam off and to have a heart to heart across the river. Much water had flown down the river since then and their dancing days were gone. One day they met at the river to fight with their gloves off, and suddenly fell into the water. Their lives hanged by a thread so they had their hearts in their boots then. Two enemies started acting shoulder to shoulder and managed to save. Since then (it boggles the mind!) the village has been enjoying the long-awaited peace which, as people say, is better than a good quarrel. Thus, The Gordian knot was cut.