The Enchanted Forest: The King

One day after her friends had gone home Princess Marlee went to her father, the King, and said she wanted to talk to him. He said, "Of course, my dear. What's on your mind?"

Princess Marlee said, "Well, how come we have such a big beautiful castle and my friend, Charlie, has just a little house. She has to do chores and I don't. We have fancy food to eat and Charlie and her family eats plain food. My clothes are fancy and beautiful, but Charlie's aren't."

The King sat back in his throne and sighed and said, "I knew that someday you were going to ask these questions and I guess you are old enough to hear some of the answers. Charlie is your cousin. Her mother is my sister. I haven't seen her for years and years, but she is a very nice lady. A long time ago when we were children our mother, your grandmother, was tricked by a peddler. We had very little water or food, but she gave him a drink of our precious water for what she thought was a magic rock. He had laughed at her and told her after he got his drink that it was worthless. She again was tricked by another traveler for a drink and she also fell for his trick. He told her that if she would give him a drink he would give her a chicken that could do tricks and the chicken would make her rich. After he got his drink he too laughed at her and told her the chicken was old and couldn't even lay eggs to eat.

My oldest sister was very angry and left the farm. I've never seen her again. Charlie's mother married a nice man and they have a small farm with some animals just like we did when we were young."

"But how come we have a castle and jewels, and swans and everything we could wish for?"

"Well the day that your grandmother realized that she had been tricked into giving away our water for a worthless rock and an old chicken was the day that she realized how foolish she had been. She cried and cried and told our father how sorry she was. She was so sad that my sister had left. She felt so ashamed. It was very hard for me to watch so I went outside and happened to see the rock she had thrown on the ground. I thought it was kind of pretty. I turned it over and over in my hand. I thought I saw something glitter as I turned it. As young boys do I spit on it and rubbed away the dirt. Marlee, it was a gold nugget, it wasn't just a rock. I ran as fast as I could into the house and showed my parents that the rock really was valuable. So after that we went to the forest to look for my sister. We never did find her, but we built this huge castle and were able to have everything we wanted ever since. That has been many many years ago."

"Well, do you own the forest too?" asked Marlee. "No, not the forest. The forest belongs to everyone to enjoy. I'm sure there are people living here that I don't even know about. It is a beautiful and peaceful place for people and animals alike to enjoy. So that's the story, Marlee. Now you don't have to wonder any more."

The laughing tree in the forest had listened to every word that the King told his daughter, Princess Marlee. Oh how he laughed. "Oh she will find out the rest of the story, Your Royal Highness. Yes she will. The Forest will make sure of it! The Forest has many voices that reach a thousand ears."