A Tale of Two Princesses

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This is the first of a series of fairy tales I’m writing. This one is about princesses.

You can find out more about how important it is to read to kids here.

Once upon a time…

Once upon a time there were two princesses, princess Justine and princess Sophie. One day an evil ogre kidnapped both princesses and locked them up in two towers, where they were supposed to wait to be rescued by a charming prince.

Princess Justine looked around her tower and decided that there is nothing she could do to free herself from her prison. She moved her chair by the window and started looking for her savior. And she sighed, and looked, and longed, and waited…

Meanwhile, princess Sophie looked around her room at the top of her tower and realised that it looked a bit dreary. Next time when the ogre brought food to the princesses, Sophie asked him to bring her curtains for the windows, a tablecloth and flowers in a vase. The ogre was surprised, but he granted her wishes. After all, she wouldn’t run away using a tablecloth and curtains. When she decorated her room, she started to feel bored. She asked to ogre for a crochet hook and yarns. The ogre was surprised again, but brought her everything. Some time later princess Sophie created colorful decorations for the table, the cupboard and the bed. The only thing she lacked was a carpet.

Two different princesses

When princess Justine saw the ogre toting a carpet into her sister’s tower, she asked: “Why are you bringing such nice things to her tower and not to mine?” “Have you asked?” replied the ogre “I didn’t know you want them, too. You should have said. I’m an ogre and I don’t know humans.”

Princess Justine just turned her nose up and kept waiting for her prince. The ogre brought her a carpet, curtains, a tablecloth and flowers, but her tower still didn’t look as pretty as Sophie’s.

Soon ornamental banners were hanging from Sophie’s windowsills. She desired to have flowers around the bottom of her tower. “Plant some flowers around my tower, please” asked she. The ogre raged “I am supposed to plant flowers?! I don’t have time for such nonsense!”. “In such a case, let me do it”. “Of course, I’ll let you out and you’ll run away as far as you can. No way!”

But Sophie didn’t give in and at last the ogre allowed her to plant the flowers.

The charming prince arrives

That day a charming prince rode his beautiful stallion along the path that led between the two towers. One of the towers was grim and ugly and the princess there was sad and longing, while the other tower had colorful banners hanging from the windows and a princess with rosy cheeks was looking at newly planted flowers around it.

The prince didn’t even glimpse at Justine, charmed by Sophie and her tower. “My beautiful princess” he said “here I am to save you and take you to my castle. ‘Tis the end of your woe…”

Sophie looked at him with surprise “Whoa! What woe?”

The prince hesitated. “Well, you’re imprisoned in the tower and…” he started, but couldn’t continue, seeing her sneering smile.

“What interesting things can I do in your castle?” asked she.

“You will have balls, and dresses, and jewels…”

“Hmm… I don’t think I am interested in this offer” said Sophie.

“I am!” shouted Justine from above “I am interested in this offer!”

But the prince didn’t even look at her, so shocked he was with Sophie who didn’t want to be saved.

“Anyway” said Sophie “first you’d have to kill the ogre”.

“Alas!” the prince shouted, his countenance back “where can I find the foul beast?”

“I don’t know. He went somewhere” said Sophie and pointed to the road in front of the knight. “Yah!” he shouted and went off.

Queen Sophie

Meanwhile, the ogre appeared from behind Sophie’s tower. “Phew! I thought he’d get me. Did you see his sword, Sophie? He’d cut my head off without even thinking!” said the monster.

“I just thought that without thinking” said Sophie “I don’t want a husband without thinking.”

“So what do you want?” asked the beast “You’ve shown you’re not only wise, but also good-hearted. I won’t keep you in anymore, since you’ve saved my life.” “Hmm” Sophie thought “there is a castle west from here. It used to belong to my father’s kingdom, but a bunch of thugs plundered it and now it’s their hideout. If someone were to drive the thugs away, I’d be delighted to live in that castle.”

Soon the ogre chased the thugs away from the castle and Sophie moved into her new home. Her subjects loved their wise and good-hearted queen and everyone was very happy.

The errant knight, who couldn’t find the ogre, came back to the two towers. He only found Justine waiting for him. Surprised a bit, he saved the only princess that was left to be saved and took her to his castle. He gifted her tons of dresses and jewels, he organized balls and feasts, but he couldn’t give her love.

Many brave, noble and definitely thinking suitors arrived at the castle of queen Sophie, but this is another tale…

I hope you’ve enjoyed the story. You can read it to your child or just for yourself. Please, comment if you like it or if you want to share some feedback. I’m very curious about your opinion.