The story begins in the modern day as a mother grows increasingly unsure of the actions of her teenage daughter towards her somewhat older step-brother. He is encouraging her to use drugs and when her mother intervenes she makes it clear she suspects him of wrongdoing. She arranges for her step-son to be murdered in a "gangland style robbery" but Sela shows up with the book first and tells her that she should read the Juniper Tree fairy tale. In this Clarinda is equally enamored with her step-brother, who is described as a philanderer and thief. Following somewhat with the usual story when she finds out that the too plan to run away she decapitates him. When the daughter finds out the truth from a bird at the juniper tree where he is buried, she hangs herself. Back in the modern day the mother calls off her plan, but her daughter eventually overdoses and dies. Sela is left wondering what has gone wrong as it was not the ending she was expecting.
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