Tuesday, October 16, 2007

~ The Real Princess story ~


There's this story that I've loved deeply as a li'l girl & have never forgotten.. Just yesterday, while reading some stories online, I stumbled upon it & couldn't believe my eyes.. It must have been over ten years since I last read it.. I could still remember the day I read it for the first time.. I remember exactly on which sides of the page it started & ended.. I can still hear our loud young voices.. I recall the teacher's smell.. I even remember that book's scent.. I remember reading it at home as well.. Seriously, how do these small things affect a whole person & cause complicated impact on their being? There are these tiny details that truly made me the sara I am.. It's heartbreaking seeing parents overlooking those details & underestimating their effects :(
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THE REAL PRINCESS


There was once a Prince who wished to marry a Princess; but then she must be a real Princess. He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady; but there was always something wrong. Princesses he found in plenty; but whether they were real Princesses it was impossible for him to decide, for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies. At last he returned to his palace quite cast down, because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife. One evening a fearful tempest arose, it thundered and lightened, and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents: besides, it was as dark as pitch. All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King, the Prince's father, went out himself to open it. It was a Princess who was standing outside the door. What with the rain and the wind, she was in a sad condition; the water trickled down from her hair, and her clothes clung to her body. She said she was a real Princess. "Ah! we shall soon see that!" thought the old Queen-mother; however, she said not a word of what she was going to do; but went quietly into the bedroom,took all the bed-clothes off the bed, and put three little peas on the bedstead. She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the three peas, and put twenty feather beds over the mattresses. Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night. The next morning she was asked how she had slept. "Oh, very badly indeed!" she replied. "I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed, but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!" Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princess, since she had been able to feel the three little peas through the twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. None but a real Princess could have had such a delicate sense of feeling. The Prince accordingly made her his wife; being now convinced that he had found a real Princess. The three peas were however put into the cabinet of curiosities, where they are still to be seen, provided they are not lost. Wasn't this a lady of real delicacy?

Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

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PS. Do those three peas symbolize anything at all?

14 comments:

mummyjaan said...

"Do those peas symbolize anything at all?"

I've no idea, and never thought about it. What do they symbolize?

sara said...

Well, as a little girl, they were only three physical peas to me..

But when I re-read it now (supposedly as a grown up), I felt that there might be some meaning behind those three peas.. Or at least that's how I wish to see it ;) (as a grown up ;) LOL)..

I guess anyone could symbolize those three peas as to how they want them to be.. To test the true princessity out of all existing princesses..

So bring 'em on :)

Hani Obaid said...

As a kid, I enjoyed the story too, but now, I can't help but think the peas would have been crushed, and that would have been the end of it.

Moreover I don't think a woman that can sense 3 peas under a dozen matresses will be much fun to live with. Oh well :)

sara said...

"Manly" way to think of it! :)

Anonymous said...

Delicate blog you have.

Do you really think my blog is that good or were you just making fun of me? :P

sara said...

De li cate.. How I love that word!

And regarding your thoughts, I meant each & every word I said..

I HATE SARCASM!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sara :),

I like this story as well.It's a nice one :)!Actually,today as a young woman I would still have my mother say to me:"Natasha,you're like a princess on a pea!"That is something she would say on occasions when I dress very nice and give myself a treat of a cake and tea in the most fancy Cafe'.
Anyway,we all shall sometimes be like this princess.It is our right as women :)))!!!

Hugs!

sara said...

We're all princessess in our own very special ways :)

I hope you always stay your mama's li'l delicate "princess on a pea" & never ever get harsh.. Amen :)

And I wish we could meet someday & I have my favourite latte & you have your favourite tea & eat whatever we want in cinnabon.. Or any other of you favourite fancy cafes :)

Huggy hugs :)

Anonymous said...

Yeah ......... Its a very nice story, Never heard of that when i was a child, Heard a different one though, involving a needle and not three peas...... :-)

sara said...

Maryooooooooooomaaaaa :)

I think I know that one.. where the whole town sleeps?

If it's that one, then OH MY GOD.. One of my favourite stories of all time! It's actually not the story itself.. It's the story book my grandma has..

In Egypt, at my granny's, she has this story book, where all the drawings come out of the book.. Like on each & every, whenever you flip through, the characters come out.. Can't describe it.. I'm glad you brought it outa me.. Always wanted to share this on my blogy :D

Every summer I'd go to cairo, I'd wipe off the dust from it & read it all over again & again..

And I still get the creeps when seeing that witch.. You could pull this thing from the side of the page & see her..

Maryooooomaaaaa :)

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Next post please. Enough of children here. Write about blood and gore now. :P

sara said...

Nooooooooooooo! Never enough of children :D

Me writing about blood? Mhmmmm, maybe if I had a different soul, heart, mind, or body?

LuLu...! said...

when i read the word story rite now i remembered the song: "THIS A STORY OF A GIRL NNANNANNANANANANAN" HEHEHEHHE! :$ (i no my voice sux :( ...) kont bammassy bas... yalla salaam...!

sara said...

Ahla tamseya ever ;)

I always felt as if it's a kid who sings this song! A kid on a skate board :D LOL!