The Ugly Princess

A prince embarrassed by a cold hearted princess, shows the world her true colors.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom not so far away, lived a prince named Alfred. Until recently, he had lived a life of ease, as most princes do.

Prince Alfred had become infatuated with a princess from a neighboring kingdom. Princess Madison lived a pampered life. She was spoiled in every way and believed the world revolved entirely around her. Cold and cruel, as spoiled girls often are, she took particular pleasure in breaking the hearts of every prince she encountered. She did it for laughs.

Prince Alfred, however, was unaware of her reputation. All he saw was her outward beauty. He sent the princess flowers and sweet letters of affection. When she received them, she tossed them aside without even reading a word.

One day, Prince Alfred decided he would visit the princess himself. He dressed in his finest clothes and made his way to her castle. Upon arriving, he was greeted by her handmaiden.

“I request an audience with the most beautiful princess in the world,” he said.

The handmaiden laughed and went to inform the princess. Princess Madison was sitting in her garden when the prince approached.

“Hello,” he said politely. “My name is Prince Alfred. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

The princess looked him over and burst into laughter.
“Do you truly believe I would ever be interested in a lowly prince from your kingdom? Preposterous!” she exclaimed.

Prince Alfred was horrified. He apologized, turned on his heel, and fled the castle, heartbroken. As he hurried away, he began to feel strange.

“What is happening to me?” he thought.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and the prince collapsed unconscious.

When he awoke, he felt oddly calm. It must have just been my nerves, he told himself as he continued his journey home. Soon, however, he realized he could barely walk. Thirsty, he staggered to the edge of a creek and bent down to drink.

That was when he saw his reflection.

He jumped back, landing hard on the ground.
“What in the�"” he gasped.

Staring back at him was not the face of a prince, but a chicken. Prince Alfred had been transformed.

Earlier that day, while traveling to see the princess, Alfred had encountered a woman selling trinkets by the roadside. Unbeknownst to him, she was a gypsy. He had purchased a small pendant, intending to give it to Princess Madison. What he didn’t know was that the pendant was magical�"it caused one’s outward appearance to reflect their true inner self.

Because the prince had fled in fear and heartbreak, the magic had revealed his inner coward, turning him into a chicken.

“What am I going to do?” he thought. “How did this happen?”

Then he remembered the gypsy woman’s warning when he purchased the pendant:
“Be careful with this�"it will show your inner self.”

With no other options, Prince Alfred continued on his journey, hoping he might find the gypsy woman again.

He walked for hours, carefully watching the roadside. When he reached the place where he had first seen her, he stopped and waited. Sure enough, just off the road, he spotted her wagon. A fire burned nearby with something cooking over it.

As he approached, he heard a man shout, “Hey! There’s a chicken! Dinner’s back on!”

Prince Alfred squawked in terror, unable even to try to speak. Fortunately for him, the gypsy woman recognized him immediately.

“You can’t eat this one,” she said sharply. “He’s not a real chicken.”

Disappointed, the man wandered off in search of another meal.

“Please help me!” the prince begged. He explained everything that had happened.

The gypsy woman was appalled. She despised people who treated others as if they were beneath them.
“I know how to fix this,” she said. “You must give the pendant to someone else. When they accept it, the magic will transfer to them, and you will return to your normal form.”

“Who should I give it to?” the prince asked.

“If it were me,” the gypsy replied, “I’d give it to that cruel, spoiled princess.”

“But how?” Alfred cried. “Look at me�"I’m a chicken!”

“You’ll know what to do when the time comes,” the gypsy said.

Thanking her, Prince Alfred made his way back toward the princess’s castle. When he arrived, he hid among a wagonload of chickens being delivered to the castle kitchens. As he waited, an idea struck him.

He wrapped the pendant in the most beautiful paper he could find and attached a note that read:
This pendant may only be owned by the most worthy person in the land.

He left the package where the handmaiden was sure to find it.

Soon enough, the handmaiden discovered the gift and read the note. She considered keeping it for herself�"but before she could, Princess Madison noticed the package and demanded to see it.

Reading the note, the princess scoffed and declared, “Of course this belongs to me. I am the most worthy person in the kingdom.”

The moment she claimed it, the magic transferred. Prince Alfred returned to his human form�"and the princess transformed into an ugly, beak-nosed hag. The pendant had revealed her true self, long hidden beneath beauty and privilege.

Prince Alfred returned home, grateful to be himself again. The princess remained an old hag for the rest of her days, having received exactly what she deserved.

The moral of the story: Do not mistreat others or act as though you are better than them. You never know when someone might possess the magic to reveal the real you.

The End