Once upon a time, a prince traveled the world searching for a 'real' princess to marry, but he returned home discouraged, for every lady he met lacked the true royal spark. One night, a fearful storm blew into the kingdom, and a knock sounded at the castle gate. A young woman stood there, drenched and bedraggled, claiming she was a real princess. The old Queen was skeptical but said nothing. She went into the guest bedroom, took all the bedding off, and placed a single pea at the bottom. She then piled twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds on top of that pea. The next morning, the girl was asked how she had slept. 'Oh, most miserably!' she cried, explaining that she lay on something so hard that she was black and blue all over. The King and Queen knew then she was a real princess, for only someone of true royal sensitivity could feel a pea through twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. The prince married her at once, and the pea was placed in the royal museum.
True quality and sensitivity cannot be hidden by outward appearances, and one's nature eventually reveals itself.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of The Princess and the Pea?
The moral suggests that true nobility is defined by inner sensitivity and refinement rather than just outward appearance. It also implies that the truth will eventually come to light regardless of the obstacles placed in its way.
Who wrote The Princess and the Pea?
The story was written by the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published in 1835 as part of his first installment of fairy tales.
Why did the Queen put a pea under the mattresses?
The Queen used the pea as a test to determine if the girl was a 'real' princess. The belief was that only someone of genuine royal blood would be sensitive enough to feel such a small discomfort through so much padding.
How many mattresses were in The Princess and the Pea?
The Queen placed the pea under twenty mattresses and then added an additional twenty feather beds on top of those. In total, there were forty layers of bedding.
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Good night.
