The Princess Who Never Smiled – A Magical Fable of Laughter and Love

The Princess Who Never Smiled – A Magical Fable of Laughter and Love

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Once upon a time, in a splendid yet somber kingdom cloaked in gloom, there lived a princess known throughout the land — not for her beauty or charm, but for the fact that she never smiled. Not once in her life had anyone seen even the faintest curl of her lips or heard the softest giggle. Her face, though fair and regal, was eternally serious.

This affliction, if one could call it that, weighed heavily on the entire kingdom. A dark, melancholic cloud seemed to hang perpetually in the sky, casting a shadow not just in the air but on the hearts of the people. The King, a kind but troubled ruler, was heartbroken. Seeing his daughter so perpetually joyless made his royal heart ache.

On her eighteenth birthday, the King could no longer bear it. In desperation, he journeyed to the depths of the enchanted forest to seek counsel from the Witch of the Woodland — a wise and benevolent sorceress known for her foresight and sage advice.

“My dear Witch,” the King pleaded, “how can I make my daughter smile just once? I would give anything to see her happy.”

The Witch gazed into her glowing crystal ball, its mists swirling like secrets waiting to be told. After a moment, she smiled knowingly and declared, “Issue a royal decree. Let it be known that any man who can make the Princess smile shall have her hand in marriage.”

Encouraged, the King returned to his castle and issued the decree immediately. Soon, suitors flooded the royal palace — jesters with outrageous jokes, poets with flowery praises, merchants bearing exotic gifts, and knights attempting comical feats of bravery. Yet, nothing stirred the Princess’s stern countenance. She sat expressionless, her eyes as unreadable as the night sky.

Then, one day, the Princess vanished from the palace. She was notorious for slipping away unnoticed, but this time, the Royal Guards sent an alarming message to the King — the Princess had been caught stealing shoes from the Cathedral while disguised as a peasant! The King was aghast and ordered that she be brought back to the palace immediately.

When she stood before him, disheveled in simple peasant clothes, she confessed, “Father, I was bored. I wanted to feel life outside these palace walls, to do something… different.”

The King was torn between disappointment and pity, but the law was clear — stealing was a crime. Even a Princess could not escape justice. The punishment was public humiliation: to be locked in the stocks in the town square for several hours.

Reluctantly, the King ordered it done.

Yet again, in his despair, the King turned to the Witch of the Woodland. She only laughed — a deep, merry laugh that took the King by surprise.

“Why do you laugh?” he asked.

“Because, Your Majesty,” the Witch replied with a twinkle in her eye, “today is the day your daughter will smile.”

Puzzled but hopeful, the King rode to the square where a crowd had gathered. There, the Princess sat bound in the stocks, head bowed in shame as people passed by with judgmental glances.

Among the crowd was a humble farmhand named Jack, on his way to the market. Seeing the Princess in such a state stirred compassion in his heart. Approaching cautiously, he asked gently, “Would you like me to try to make you smile?”

The Princess shot him an icy glare. “Don’t waste your time. Nothing works.”

Jack, however, noticed her bare feet locked in the stocks. A playful idea sparked in his mind.

“Nothing works, huh?” he said with a grin.

Without warning, Jack knelt down and ran his fingers lightly across the soles of her feet. The Princess jolted. Her mouth twitched. Then, as the tickling continued, an extraordinary sound burst forth — a bubbling, uncontrollable laugh, bright as the morning sun. For the first time ever, the Princess laughed. Not just smiled — she laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face.

The townsfolk froze in astonishment before they too began laughing. Laughter, after all, is contagious. Inspired by Jack’s method, a washerwoman nearby grabbed a brush and tickled the Princess’s sides, while a cheeky maid joined in with a feather duster on her neck and underarms.

The Princess laughed until her voice grew hoarse, her eyes gleaming with joy.

At that moment, the King arrived, witnessing his daughter’s radiant smile. His heart soared, and he chuckled along with the crowd.

“Enough!” he declared with mirth. “Release her.”

When she was freed, the King turned to Jack. “Young man, you have done what no prince or knight could. You’ve made my daughter smile. As promised, you shall marry her.”

Jack hesitated. “But Your Majesty, I am just a farmhand.”

The Princess, still catching her breath between giggles, stepped forward. “A farmhand who gave me happiness is worth more than any prince. Yes, I will marry him.”

The crowd cheered, and the skies, as if reflecting the Princess’s newfound joy, cleared. The dark cloud that had hung over the kingdom dissipated.

Jack and the Princess were married the next day, and their laughter echoed through the halls of the palace forevermore. Whenever the Princess seemed the slightest bit somber, Jack needed only to wiggle a finger near her feet, and her peals of laughter would return.

Thus, the kingdom became a land of joy, where laughter was the greatest treasure.

Moral of the Story:

True happiness doesn’t come from riches or status, but from simple, heartfelt joys and the people who make us laugh when we need it most.

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