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This classic story about a prince looking for a real princess begins in a familiar way: once upon a time.
A dark-haired prince sets out on his horse to search the lands for a suitable wife to bring home to his parents’ castle. Although the princesses look lovely, “there was something not quite right about them all.” The prince is not impressed when he meets the princess who chases chickens or the princess who lacks table manners.
The story continues with the lightning storm that brings a red-haired princess to the castle door. After the King and Queen invite her to stay, the Queen and the maid get the princess’s bed ready by placing a pea under forty mattresses.
In the morning, when asked if she slept well, the princess confesses that she had a terrible night. “I lay on something so hard that I’m black-and-blue all over.” Her shocking statement brings happiness to the family, though, because they realize that only “a real princess could be as delicate as that.”
After a small wedding takes place, the fate of the pea is revealed. The lone green pea can be found under glass in the royal museum. The rich colors and elaborate style of dress complement the fairytale qualities of this story, and although it’s not mentioned in the text, Christy adds a mouse-friendly cat to her illustrations.
This version of The The Princess and the Pea is concise yet entertaining.
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The Princess and the Pea (Little Golden Book)