The Prince and the Princess
There once was a handsome little prince.
He was the pride of his father, the King.
He excelled at all a little prince was trained to be skilled at.
He went on a long, arduous journey to learn about the world and the people he would one day be king of.
He was half starved, bruised and in rags at the end of it but he had a wife and kids and was content.
His father, the King, came to bring him home, for his journey had ended.
It was hard to see him among the other villagers at first glance.
He had learned what he was sent out in the world to learn plus some.
So, his father dusted him off, kissed him on both cheeks, expressed how glad he was to see him and placed him in his carriage.
He was sent to the best healers, fed the best of foods.
He was dressed in the kingdom's finest, well fed and looking strong and as bright and beautiful as any star in the heavens.
Restored, he returned to the world.
The reactions of the world shocked him.
"I know you, you're the raving lunatic"
"I know you, you are that thief! You stole those clothes, didn't you!"
"We hung out with you, but you're far too pretty now. We wouldn't dare be seen with you"
"You are my husband, but I am not a princess. I am not good enough for you anymore. Go away! Let me be alone in my shame. But give me money and clothes that I might look better than all the other women in the village who made fun of me because of you"
"Daddy! Oh, how bright and shiny you are! We have been having fun! We love you! But, we are more like the other children in the village, so we want to stay with them. And mommy needs us.We do not want to go live with you in your castle. But, Daddy, give us all the toys we ask for and lots of money so we can share them with our friends and play all day long!"
So, the prince gave all that was asked and returned to his castle utterly alone.
He cried out in pain. He had done all that was asked of him, so why was he alone, unloved, unwanted?!
His father heard his voice and placing an arm around him he said "You are wanted, my fine brave, son. And you are not alone. See there? That beautiful princess is to be your bride. She made the same journey as you, she understands you, she has been where you are."
"But, I want my wife! I want my friends! I love my children! I want them here with me!"
"Did you really love your wife, my son?"
"No, but she was sweet and I was content for the first in so very long when I was with her."
"Then it is contenment you want, my son, not the woman who does not want you."
"Did you really like your friends, my son?"
"They weren't all that bad, but I felt accepted when I was with them, father"
"Then it is acceptence you want, not those friends, my son."
"Will your children respect and appreciate you , my son?"
"They love me, father. But no, they would not respect and appreciate me, father."
"So then, it is love, appreciation and respect you want, my son."
"Here you are loved, respected and appreciated. Let them go, for you will only cause them pain if you bring them here. Go to your new wife, for she can understand, respect and appreciate you as well."
"But, she does not look like she came from where I came."
"Oh, but she has."
"She does not need healing like I need healing"
"Oh, but she does."
"She is respected by those around her, she does need to be reassured as I do."
"Yes, my son, she does"
"She does not need to be loved, look how people adore her!"
"Her need for love far exceeds yours, my son."
His father, the king, leaned close to his ear
"I will tell you, my son. She was a princess who was skilled at all a princess is trained to be skilled at. When her father came for her after her journey into the world, she was battered, poor and in rags, but she had a husband she loved and she was content. Her father took her home, fed her the best foods, took her to the best healers, and dressed her in the finest of clothes. She returned to the world as beautiful and bright as the brightest of stars. Her husband shrunk back from her in fear and shame, but she thought she had done something wrong. He took the money and gifts to make himself look good in front of the other villagers and told her to leave. Her friends rejected her, did not trust her, became jealous of her and told her to leave, but asked for boons. Her children, that was the hardest on her, her children wanted the toys and the money but nothing to do with her. She went back to her castle and cried out in pain: why am I so unloved and alone?!
Her father was beside himself, he told her all I told you; she did not want those people, she wanted only contentment, to be loved, respected, honored and cherished but he had no prince to make her a husband who would do those things. She believed her father. So, she has been busying herself, fulfilling her duties, playing her role in court and tending the garden, being the best princess a princess could ever be, shining as bright as the brightest star in the heavens in a darkened sky before all the other stars come out. There are days she longs to just drift off to sleep and never return from her dreams, for in her dreams she is loved, honored, respected and appreciated in ways castle servents, the people at court, her mother, father, and villagers cannot do. She brings that glow with her each morning as she rises and hides in her garden whenever possible to keep that glow kindled, but she sleeps often and long for there is little in this world to build on it, to build it from.
Her father has brought to her other princes, one even who made that journey out into the world, but he had not a wife and children, never knew contentment. He did not have to let go of all that she had and he could not look upon her with respect. And so, back to her dreams and garden she went, serving and tending, sleeping long hours and wondering if she should just never wake one day.
Her father loves her, though, he wants her to stay, shining her starlight upon his kingdom for it blesses the people, brings them happiness, health and well-being. So he sends in servants to wake her each day. He calls forth jokers to entertain her, matrons to comfort her, children to play with her and the finest of steeds for her to ride that she may feel the wind in her hair and feel as though she can fly.
She sings and she dances, she laughs and she plays and she flies...... until they all go home and the horses tire. Then she is alone again, quite happy and with nothing left to do goes to sleep where she dreams the dreams she wishes never to leave, so again the King sends in servants to wake her and things to tempt her stay so that she may shine that starlight upon his kingdom.
And the King keeps his eyes open for a prince for her, so that her days will be as sweet as her dreams and never again will she think of drifting off into a sleep from which she will not awake.
So we ask you, my son, can you find it within you to take her as your own?"
He was the pride of his father, the King.
He excelled at all a little prince was trained to be skilled at.
He went on a long, arduous journey to learn about the world and the people he would one day be king of.
He was half starved, bruised and in rags at the end of it but he had a wife and kids and was content.
His father, the King, came to bring him home, for his journey had ended.
It was hard to see him among the other villagers at first glance.
He had learned what he was sent out in the world to learn plus some.
So, his father dusted him off, kissed him on both cheeks, expressed how glad he was to see him and placed him in his carriage.
He was sent to the best healers, fed the best of foods.
He was dressed in the kingdom's finest, well fed and looking strong and as bright and beautiful as any star in the heavens.
Restored, he returned to the world.
The reactions of the world shocked him.
"I know you, you're the raving lunatic"
"I know you, you are that thief! You stole those clothes, didn't you!"
"We hung out with you, but you're far too pretty now. We wouldn't dare be seen with you"
"You are my husband, but I am not a princess. I am not good enough for you anymore. Go away! Let me be alone in my shame. But give me money and clothes that I might look better than all the other women in the village who made fun of me because of you"
"Daddy! Oh, how bright and shiny you are! We have been having fun! We love you! But, we are more like the other children in the village, so we want to stay with them. And mommy needs us.We do not want to go live with you in your castle. But, Daddy, give us all the toys we ask for and lots of money so we can share them with our friends and play all day long!"
So, the prince gave all that was asked and returned to his castle utterly alone.
He cried out in pain. He had done all that was asked of him, so why was he alone, unloved, unwanted?!
His father heard his voice and placing an arm around him he said "You are wanted, my fine brave, son. And you are not alone. See there? That beautiful princess is to be your bride. She made the same journey as you, she understands you, she has been where you are."
"But, I want my wife! I want my friends! I love my children! I want them here with me!"
"Did you really love your wife, my son?"
"No, but she was sweet and I was content for the first in so very long when I was with her."
"Then it is contenment you want, my son, not the woman who does not want you."
"Did you really like your friends, my son?"
"They weren't all that bad, but I felt accepted when I was with them, father"
"Then it is acceptence you want, not those friends, my son."
"Will your children respect and appreciate you , my son?"
"They love me, father. But no, they would not respect and appreciate me, father."
"So then, it is love, appreciation and respect you want, my son."
"Here you are loved, respected and appreciated. Let them go, for you will only cause them pain if you bring them here. Go to your new wife, for she can understand, respect and appreciate you as well."
"But, she does not look like she came from where I came."
"Oh, but she has."
"She does not need healing like I need healing"
"Oh, but she does."
"She is respected by those around her, she does need to be reassured as I do."
"Yes, my son, she does"
"She does not need to be loved, look how people adore her!"
"Her need for love far exceeds yours, my son."
His father, the king, leaned close to his ear
"I will tell you, my son. She was a princess who was skilled at all a princess is trained to be skilled at. When her father came for her after her journey into the world, she was battered, poor and in rags, but she had a husband she loved and she was content. Her father took her home, fed her the best foods, took her to the best healers, and dressed her in the finest of clothes. She returned to the world as beautiful and bright as the brightest of stars. Her husband shrunk back from her in fear and shame, but she thought she had done something wrong. He took the money and gifts to make himself look good in front of the other villagers and told her to leave. Her friends rejected her, did not trust her, became jealous of her and told her to leave, but asked for boons. Her children, that was the hardest on her, her children wanted the toys and the money but nothing to do with her. She went back to her castle and cried out in pain: why am I so unloved and alone?!
Her father was beside himself, he told her all I told you; she did not want those people, she wanted only contentment, to be loved, respected, honored and cherished but he had no prince to make her a husband who would do those things. She believed her father. So, she has been busying herself, fulfilling her duties, playing her role in court and tending the garden, being the best princess a princess could ever be, shining as bright as the brightest star in the heavens in a darkened sky before all the other stars come out. There are days she longs to just drift off to sleep and never return from her dreams, for in her dreams she is loved, honored, respected and appreciated in ways castle servents, the people at court, her mother, father, and villagers cannot do. She brings that glow with her each morning as she rises and hides in her garden whenever possible to keep that glow kindled, but she sleeps often and long for there is little in this world to build on it, to build it from.
Her father has brought to her other princes, one even who made that journey out into the world, but he had not a wife and children, never knew contentment. He did not have to let go of all that she had and he could not look upon her with respect. And so, back to her dreams and garden she went, serving and tending, sleeping long hours and wondering if she should just never wake one day.
Her father loves her, though, he wants her to stay, shining her starlight upon his kingdom for it blesses the people, brings them happiness, health and well-being. So he sends in servants to wake her each day. He calls forth jokers to entertain her, matrons to comfort her, children to play with her and the finest of steeds for her to ride that she may feel the wind in her hair and feel as though she can fly.
She sings and she dances, she laughs and she plays and she flies...... until they all go home and the horses tire. Then she is alone again, quite happy and with nothing left to do goes to sleep where she dreams the dreams she wishes never to leave, so again the King sends in servants to wake her and things to tempt her stay so that she may shine that starlight upon his kingdom.
And the King keeps his eyes open for a prince for her, so that her days will be as sweet as her dreams and never again will she think of drifting off into a sleep from which she will not awake.
So we ask you, my son, can you find it within you to take her as your own?"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Peace be with you
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.