A Fairy Tale

Summary

The younger schoolgirls sat together during their morning break. They had already chatted about all kinds of things, admired their pretty little dresses, and praised their parents. What now?

One girl said: “Else, please tell us a fairy tale. But one that you made up again.”

“I only tell those that come to me,” she replied.

After that she put the tip of her index finger just inside her mouth, made a awfully contemplative face, and began:

There once was a young king. He had eyes made of amber. And golden eyelashes rested on top of them. They flashed like lightning.

He wore golden clothes and golden shoes, because that way it’s harder to see the dust on them. And his servants also thought that he was dressed best this way.

The people of his country came to him and paid him their respects. One of them said: “You are glorious!” The other one: “You are prudent and wise!” The third one: “You can do anything. You are the greatest and best.”

And the king nodded his head benevolently to all of them, looked at his clothes, and thought: good thing I have my golden suit.

Once a young woman came to him, who honestly and sincerely believed in his wisdom and greatness. And she thought she had to tell him that, as a well-behaved child would tell its father.

But as soon as she stood in front of him and saw how young and handsome he was, she started to feel very embarrassed, and did not know what she was saying.

There was a man outside the door, his chest full of medals. He taught her the language of the court. He said to her: “My child, you have to get used to our distinguished way of speaking. If you want to say, it’s dirty here, you cry out, oh, what wonderful cleanliness! And if you don’t like something, you have to say, everything is agreeable to me. Then they’ll understand you.”

She really wanted to take the words of this man with the golden embroidered clothes and the medals to heart. For she valued his manners.