Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a prince who was searching for a true princess to marry. He travelled far and wide, but he could never find a princess who met all the qualities he desired. One stormy night, a knock came at the castle door.
The prince opened the door to find a drenched and bedraggled young woman standing there. She claimed to be a princess who had lost her way and sought shelter from the storm. The prince was skeptical but welcomed her into the castle.
The queen, intrigued by the girl’s claim, decided to put her to the test. She ordered that a single pea be placed beneath twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds in the guest room where the girl would sleep. If the girl truly was a princess, the queen reasoned, she would be so delicate and sensitive that she would feel the pea and be unable to sleep.
The next morning, when the girl emerged from the guest room, she looked exhausted. She had hardly slept a wink, tossing and turning all night long. The prince and queen were astonished. They realized that only a true princess could have such sensitivity.
The prince knew at once that he had found his true love. He proposed to the girl, and she accepted. They were married in a grand ceremony, and the kingdom rejoiced at the union of their beloved prince and the true princess.
The moral of the story is that true nobility comes from within. It is not about wealth, status, or outward appearances, but about qualities such as sensitivity, kindness, and sincerity. Just as the true princess could feel a tiny pea hidden beneath layers of mattresses, true nobility can be found in those who possess inner strength and integrity.
