The Princess and the Pea (Condensed Version)

The Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time, there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess. But she had to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. Every princess he encountered was not to his satisfaction.

One stormy evening, there was a knock on the city gate. When the gate was opened, a girl was standing there, completely drenched and claiming to be a real princess.

Intrigued by her claim, the queen set a test to determine her royal heritage. She placed a single pea on the bedstead and layered twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds on top of it.

The girl was then invited to sleep on this bed for the night. The next morning, when asked about her sleep, the girl complained about the uncomfortableness of the bed, stating that she had a restless night and felt like she slept on something hard.

Upon hearing this, the prince was overjoyed. Since only a real princess could have the sensitivity to feel the pea that was lying beneath twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds, he realized that this girl was a true princess.

Delighted to have found his real princess, the prince proposed to her. They got married and lived happily in the palace. The pea was put in the museum, where it can still be seen, unless someone has taken it.

The End.