The Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time, in a large and beautiful kingdom, there lived a young prince who longed to marry a true princess. The prince was noble, brave, and kind-hearted, but despite his many fine qualities, he had not yet found the perfect bride.

The prince’s parents, the king and queen, were understanding, but they worried for their son. “You’ve met many princesses already,” the king said one evening at dinner, “and yet none of them seem to be the right one. Are you sure you know what you’re looking for?”

The prince sighed. “I don’t just want to marry any princess,” he explained. “I want someone who is truly a princess at heart—someone kind, genuine, and noble in every way. I don’t want someone who only wears a crown or comes from a royal family. I want someone with a pure spirit.”

The queen nodded thoughtfully. “It’s important that you find the right person, of course, but how will you know for sure if a princess is true?”

“That’s the challenge,” the prince admitted. “Anyone can claim to be a princess, but how can I tell who is really noble? I can’t just marry someone for their title.”

The king and queen exchanged glances. They loved their son dearly, but they knew his high standards made his search difficult.

“Perhaps you should travel to other kingdoms,” the king suggested. “Meet new princesses from far and wide. Surely, somewhere, there’s a princess who is everything you’re looking for.”

The prince agreed, and so he set off on a journey. He traveled to many distant lands, visiting castles and royal courts, meeting princesses of all kinds. But no matter where he went, something was always missing.

Some princesses were beautiful but lacked kindness. Others were kind but didn’t seem genuine. The prince wanted to find someone with a noble heart, but he began to worry that such a person didn’t exist.

“I don’t think I’ll ever find a true princess,” he said one evening as he rode back to his own kingdom. “Perhaps I’ve been searching for something that doesn’t exist.”

On the evening of the prince’s return, a great storm swept over the kingdom. The rain fell in heavy sheets, drumming against the windows of the palace, and the wind howled like a wild beast. The sky was dark and menacing, and flashes of lightning lit up the clouds, followed by loud claps of thunder.

The prince sat by the fireplace in the grand hall, gazing into the flames as he thought about his long journey. Despite visiting many kingdoms, he still hadn’t found the true princess he sought.

The queen joined him, noticing his thoughtful expression. “Still worried, my son?” she asked kindly.

The prince nodded. “I’ve met so many princesses, but none of them feel right. I don’t know what to do, Mother.”

The queen smiled gently and patted his hand. “Sometimes, things happen when we least expect them. Don’t lose hope.”

Just as she spoke, there was a sudden knock at the door. The prince and queen exchanged surprised looks.

“Who could be out in such a storm?” the queen wondered aloud.

The king, hearing the noise, called for a servant. “Go see who’s knocking at the door,” he ordered.

The servant hurried to the front door and opened it, revealing a young woman standing on the doorstep. She was drenched from head to toe, her clothes muddy and torn, and her hair clung to her face in wet strands. Despite her appearance, there was something regal about her posture and the way she held her head high, even in her sorry state.

“Please,” the young woman said in a soft but clear voice, “may I come in? I’ve been traveling and got lost in the storm. I’ve nowhere else to go.”

The servant hesitated, unsure of what to make of the girl. She certainly didn’t look like a princess, but her tone and manner were refined.

He led her inside, and soon the prince, queen, and king came to greet her. “Who are you?” the queen asked kindly.

“I am a princess,” the young woman replied, “from a far-off kingdom. I’ve been traveling for some time, and this storm caught me by surprise. I lost my way, and now I’m in desperate need of shelter for the night.”

The prince studied the girl closely. Her clothes were in tatters, and she looked like she had been through a great ordeal. But could she really be a princess?

“You’re welcome to stay,” the queen said warmly. “We’ll make sure you’re dry and comfortable. But tell me, how did you end up in such a state?”

“I was traveling alone,” the girl explained. “My family sent me on a journey to learn about other lands, but I got lost. I’ve been wandering for days, and the storm made things worse.”

The queen nodded sympathetically. “We’ll take care of you tonight.”

Later that evening, after making sure the young woman was warm and dry, the queen thought about the girl’s claim to be a princess.

“She says she’s a princess,” the queen said to the king and prince as they sat by the fire. “But how can we be sure?”

“She doesn’t look like one,” the prince said doubtfully. “But appearances can be deceiving.”

The queen smiled knowingly. “There’s a way we can find out if she’s telling the truth. A true princess is delicate and sensitive. Even the smallest discomfort will be noticed.”

The prince raised an eyebrow. “How will we test her?”

“Leave that to me,” the queen replied with a twinkle in her eye.

The queen went to the guest bedroom where the young woman would sleep. She instructed the servants to prepare the bed, but with one important detail. Beneath the bottom mattress, she placed a single pea.

“Now,” she said, smiling to herself, “pile twenty mattresses on top of that pea.”

The servants did as they were told, stacking mattress after mattress until the bed was incredibly tall, nearly reaching the ceiling. Then, they placed soft blankets and pillows over the top.

The queen looked at her work with satisfaction. “If she is a true princess,” she thought, “she’ll be able to feel the pea, even through all these layers. We’ll know the truth by morning.”

That night, the young woman climbed up the tall stack of mattresses with the help of a ladder. Though the bed looked incredibly comfortable, she felt uneasy as soon as she lay down.

Something felt… wrong.

No matter how she shifted or turned, the bed felt lumpy and uncomfortable. It was as if there was a hard rock beneath the mattresses, pressing into her back.

She tossed and turned, trying to find a more comfortable position, but it was no use. The strange lump seemed to follow her no matter where she moved. By midnight, she was still wide awake, feeling sore and restless.

“What could possibly be under this bed?” she wondered, pressing her hand against the mattress. “It looks so soft, but it feels like there’s something sharp beneath it.”

Despite her exhaustion, the young woman couldn’t fall asleep. She spent the entire night tossing and turning, trying to ignore the discomfort. By the time morning came, she felt more tired than when she had arrived.

The next morning, the queen, king, and prince gathered in the dining room, eager to see how the young woman had slept. The prince was especially curious to know if she had passed the queen’s secret test.

Soon, the young woman appeared, looking pale and tired. Dark circles hung beneath her eyes, and it was clear that she had barely slept.

“Good morning, my dear,” the queen said warmly. “I hope you slept well.”

The young woman sighed. “I wish I could say I did,” she admitted. “But there was something terribly uncomfortable about the bed. It looked so soft, but there was something hard underneath all the mattresses. I couldn’t sleep at all.”

The queen’s eyes sparkled, and the prince leaned forward in surprise. “You could feel something?” he asked, amazed. “Even with all those mattresses?”

“Yes,” the young woman said, rubbing her back. “I don’t know what it was, but it felt like a small rock was pressing into me all night.”

The queen smiled triumphantly and turned to the prince. “There was a pea under the bottom mattress,” she explained. “Only a true princess could feel something so small through so many layers.”

The prince’s eyes widened. “A true princess!” he exclaimed, looking at the young woman in awe.

The prince was overjoyed. After all his travels, he had finally found the true princess he had been searching for. The young woman had proven her delicate nature, showing that she was not only noble in name, but also in spirit.

“I’ve been looking for someone like you my whole life,” the prince said, taking her hand. “Will you stay with us?”

The young woman smiled, still tired but pleased. “I would be honored,” she said. “Though I hope my bed will be a little more comfortable tonight!”

The queen laughed. “No more peas under the mattress, I promise,” she said with a wink.

The king was equally pleased. “It seems the storm has brought us good fortune,” he said, raising his cup in a toast. “To the prince and his true princess!”

The entire kingdom rejoiced when the prince and the princess were married a few days later. Their wedding was grand and filled with joy, and the prince knew he had finally found his perfect match.

As for the tiny pea, it was taken from beneath the mattress and placed in a glass case in the palace, as a reminder of the clever test that had helped the prince find his true princess.

And so, the prince and the princess lived happily ever after, in love and harmony.

The End