The Princess And The Pea

I am a prince in search of a genuine princess to share my life with. My journey across the globe has been filled with challenges, yet I found it difficult to discern the true princess from among the many women I encountered. The search for a soulmate, one who would understand my responsibilities as a prince and share my vision for a kingdom, seemed like a daunting task.

One fateful night, as a storm raged outside, a woman claiming to be a princess sought shelter in our castle. She appeared graceful and elegant, but I remained cautious, knowing that appearances could be deceiving. Determined to examine her claim, my mother devised a clever test. She stripped the bed of all its bedding, placed a single pea on the bed's hardwood surface, and then carefully layered twenty thick mattresses and twenty eiderdown quilts atop it. The self-proclaimed princess was invited to spend the night in this bed.

The following morning, as I encountered her in the hallway, her face was filled with dismay. "It was unbearable!" she exclaimed. "I barely slept a wink. There was something tough beneath the bed that pressed against me relentlessly, leaving me aching and discolored all over. It was truly horrible!"

Upon hearing her complaints, my heart leaped with joy. It was evident that only a genuine princess possessed such delicate skin, able to detect the presence of a mere pea beneath layers of cushions. Her sensitivity and refinement were qualities that I had been seeking in a potential partner.

With this conclusive evidence, I joyfully declared that she was indeed the real princess I had been seeking. Together, we walked down the aisle in a grand ceremony, surrounded by our subjects and loved ones. As we embarked on a life of happiness and companionship, I knew that I had found not only a wife but also a trusted partner who would share in the joys and challenges of ruling our kingdom.