La Princesa y el Guisante

In a faraway kingdom, there was a cozy castle with tall turrets and a shimmering moat. Inside the castle, everything felt warm and inviting, but there was a hint of mystery in the air. Shadows danced in the corners of the grand hall, and the suits of armor seemed to whisper secrets to anyone who cared to listen. Once upon a time, there was a young prince who lived in this very castle. He was kind and brave, but he was also lonely. He wanted to find a true princess to share his life with, someone who was genuine and delicate. His parents, the king and queen, had tried to help him find a princess, but none seemed to be the right one. One rainy night, as thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, there was a sudden knock on the castle door. The prince hurried to open it, and there stood a young girl, drenched from head to toe. Her clothes were muddy, and she shivered from the cold. "Who are you?" asked the prince gently. "I am a princess," she replied, her voice trembling. "I've been traveling and lost my way in the storm." The queen, who had also come to the door, eyed the girl skeptically. "A princess, you say? Well, we shall see. Come inside, dry yourself, and we shall find you a bed for the night." The queen led the girl to a guest room and whispered to the prince, "If she is a true princess, she will be exceptionally sensitive. We must test her." And so the queen devised a plan. The queen placed a single, tiny green pea on the bed frame and then piled twenty mattresses and twenty featherbeds on top of it. The bed looked like a tall tower, almost reaching the ceiling. "Climb up and rest," the queen offered with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. The girl looked up, her eyes widening at the towering bed. "Thank you," she said softly and began the long climb to the top. She nestled among the soft featherbeds and soon fell asleep. The next morning, the girl appeared at breakfast with dark circles under her eyes. "Did you sleep well?" the queen asked, barely hiding her curiosity. "Oh, no," the girl replied wearily. "I felt something hard under my bed. It was so uncomfortable, I barely slept at all." The prince's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Dear lady, you must be a true princess! Only someone so delicate could feel a tiny pea through all those layers." The girl smiled shyly. "Well, I did wonder what was going on, but a princess must be polite and accept a host's hospitality." The queen nodded, impressed and respectful now. "Welcome, Princess." And so, the prince had found his true princess, not just because she felt the pea, but because she showed grace and kindness. They soon fell in love and were married with joy and celebration across the kingdom. The little green pea was placed in a beautiful glass case and displayed in the royal museum as a reminder that true worth and sensitivity come from within. And they all lived happily ever after, in their cozy castle that was now filled with laughter and love.