Once upon a quiet time, in a kingdom where stars seemed to shine a little brighter, there lived a kind young prince. As the years passed, the prince felt that his heart was ready for love. He wished to marry—but not just anyone. He dreamed of finding a true princess: gentle, kind, graceful, and pure of heart.
So the prince packed his bags and set off on a long journey. He traveled across mountains and seas, through sunny lands and snowy villages. Along the way, he met many princesses. Some wore beautiful crowns, some lived in grand castles, and some spoke very proudly of themselves.
But still, something was always missing. One was too rude, another too selfish, and another not very kind. The prince felt sad and confused. How would he ever know who was a true princess?
At last, tired and disappointed, the prince returned home.
That very night, the sky grew dark. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and heavy rain poured down like a waterfall. The wind howled around the castle towers. Suddenly—knock, knock, knock!—someone was at the door.
The old king opened it and gasped. Standing there was a young girl, soaked from head to toe. Her hair was wet, her dress was muddy, and she was shivering from the cold. Yet her eyes were calm, and her voice was soft.
“I am a princess,” she said gently, “and I have lost my way in the storm. May I please come inside?”
The queen watched her carefully. Was this girl truly a princess, or just pretending?
The queen decided to be kind—but also clever.
She invited the girl to stay for the night and quietly asked the servants to prepare a special bed. At the very bottom of the bed, the queen placed one tiny green pea. On top of it, she stacked twenty soft mattresses, and over them twenty fluffy feather beds. The bed looked like a cloud!
That night, the girl climbed into bed and closed her eyes.
But sleep did not come.
She turned and turned. Something felt wrong. The bed was soft, yet she could not get comfortable at all.
In the morning, she came down for breakfast looking very tired. Her eyes were sleepy, and her face looked pale.
“How did you sleep?” the queen asked kindly.
“Oh, terribly,” the girl sighed. “There was something hard in the bed. I couldn’t sleep at all. My whole body aches.”
The queen smiled warmly. The prince’s eyes lit up with joy.
Only a true princess, they knew, could feel a tiny pea hidden beneath so many mattresses.
And so, with happy hearts, the prince and the gentle princess were married. There was music, laughter, and dancing throughout the kingdom. The people celebrated for days, and the prince and princess lived peacefully and happily together.
And as the stars watched over them, the kingdom rested quietly once more.
And so the story ends, sweet and soft—
May gentle dreams fall upon the storyteller, the listener, and all true hearts.
🌙💫 Good night.
Enjoy another bedtime story: The Sun’s Early Bedtime