The Prince and the Pea: A Tale of True Love

The Prince and the Pea: A Tale of True Love


Once upon a time, in a beautiful land filled with green hills, shining rivers, and tall castles, there lived a young prince. The prince was kind, polite, and brave. He loved his people and wanted to be a good king one day. But there was one thing that made him feel sad inside his heart.

The prince wanted to marry a true princess.

He did not want just any princess. He wanted a real princess, someone who was honest, gentle, caring, and kind. He dreamed of a princess who would understand him, laugh with him, and help him rule the kingdom with love and fairness.

So, the prince decided to travel the world.

The prince rode his horse through many countries. He crossed wide deserts, sailed over deep oceans, and walked through quiet forests. In every kingdom he visited, he met princesses. Some wore beautiful dresses made of silk. Some spoke very wisely. Some were very rich and powerful.

But each time, something felt wrong.

One princess was very proud and rude to servants. Another cared only about jewels and gold. Another spoke sweet words but did not mean them. The prince tried very hard to find the right one, but his heart always said, “She is not the true princess.”

After many months, the prince felt tired and sad.

“I may never find the true princess,” he said softly to himself.

With a heavy heart, he returned to his father’s castle.

One dark night, the sky was full of black clouds. Thunder roared loudly, and lightning lit up the sky. Rain fell hard on the castle roof. Everyone in the castle was asleep except the old king and the old queen.

Suddenly, knock, knock, knock!

The sound came from the big castle gate.

“Who could be outside in such terrible weather?” asked the king.

He told the guard to open the gate.

When the gate opened, everyone was shocked.

A young girl stood outside in the rain. Her hair was wet, her dress was torn, and her shoes were covered in mud. Water dripped from her clothes, and she was shivering from the cold.

“Please help me,” she said softly. “I am a princess, and I need shelter.”

The prince looked at her and felt curious. The queen looked at her closely and felt unsure.

“A princess?” the queen said. “You do not look like one.”

The girl bowed politely. “The storm ruined my clothes, but I promise you, I am a true princess.”

The kind king allowed the girl to come inside and warm herself. Servants gave her dry clothes and hot soup. The prince felt hope growing in his heart, but the queen wanted to be sure.

“We must test her,” the queen whispered.

That night, the queen prepared a special bed for the girl. First, she placed a small green pea on the wooden bed. Then she put twenty mattresses on top of the pea. On top of the mattresses, she added twenty soft feather beds.

“No normal person would feel the pea,” the queen said. “Only a true princess would.”

The girl was shown to her room.

“Good night,” said the prince kindly.

“Good night,” the girl replied with a gentle smile.

All night long, the girl tossed and turned. She could not sleep well. She felt something hard under her back. No matter how she moved, the feeling did not go away.

“Oh dear,” she whispered. “What is this?”

When morning came, the queen, the king, and the prince asked her how she slept.

“Oh, terribly!” said the girl. “I barely slept at all. Something hard was under the bed. My whole body hurts, and I am covered in bruises.”

She showed her arms and legs, and they truly had red marks.

The queen smiled quietly.

“That is all I needed to know,” she said.

Only a true princess could feel a tiny pea through so many mattresses and feather beds. Her skin was very delicate, just as a real princess’s skin should be.

The prince felt his heart fill with joy.

“You are the one I have been searching for,” he said happily. “Will you marry me?”

The princess smiled with tears in her eyes. “Yes,” she said. “I would be honored.”

The king and queen gave their blessing. The whole kingdom celebrated with music, dancing, and delicious food.

The prince and the princess were married in a grand wedding. Bells rang across the land, and people cheered with happiness. The little green pea was placed in a museum so everyone could remember the story of the true princess and the pea.

The prince and princess ruled the kingdom with kindness and love. They listened to the people, helped the poor, and made fair rules. They laughed together, worked together, and cared deeply for one another.

And so, they lived happily ever after.

THE END

Moral of the Story

This classic kids’ story teaches us that true beauty comes from honesty, kindness, and being true to yourself. It also reminds us that sometimes the most important things are hidden and can only be felt by a gentle and honest heart.

Story Questions and Answers for Kids

1. Who is the main character in the story?

Answer: The main character is the prince who is looking for a true princess to marry.

2. What was the prince looking for?

Answer: The prince was looking for a true princess who was kind, honest, and gentle.

3. Why was the prince sad at the beginning of the story?

Answer: The prince was sad because he met many princesses, but none of them felt like a true princess to him.

4. What happened on the stormy night?

Answer: A young girl came to the castle during a storm and said she was a princess asking for shelter.

5. How did the princess look when she arrived?

Answer: She was wet from the rain, tired, and her clothes were dirty and torn.

6. Why did the queen not believe the girl right away?

Answer: The queen did not believe her because she did not look like a princess.

7. What test did the queen make to check the princess?

Answer: The queen put a small pea under twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds.

8. What happened when the princess slept on the bed?

Answer: She could not sleep well and felt something hard under her back all night.

9. What did the princess say the next morning?

Answer: She said she slept very badly and her body hurt because something hard was under the bed.

10. What did the queen learn from the test?

Answer: The queen learned that the girl was a true princess because only a real princess could feel the pea.

11. How did the prince feel after the test?

Answer: The prince felt very happy because he finally found the true princess.

12. What happened at the end of the story?

Answer: The prince married the princess, and they lived happily ever after.

13. Where was the pea kept after the test?

Answer: The pea was kept in a museum as a reminder of the true princess.

14. What kind of rulers were the prince and princess?

Answer: They were kind, fair, and loving rulers who cared for their people.

15. What lesson does this story teach us?

Answer: The story teaches us that true beauty comes from kindness, honesty, and being true to yourself.

Open-Ended Discussion Questions (For Thinking Skills)

16. Do you think the princess was brave? Why?

Answer: Yes, she was brave because she came to the castle alone during a storm.

17. Why is it important to be honest like the princess?

Answer: Being honest helps others trust us and shows our true character.

18. Would you like to be a kind ruler like the prince and princess?

Answer: Yes, because kind rulers help people and make everyone happy.

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