The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales Read Free

his most delicious muffins. When he handed them to Myrtle, he bowed.
    The fairy Ethelinda was getting anxious. Punishments weren’t supposed to work this way.
    Rosella tried not to talk while she got ready for her betrothal, but her Royal Ladies-in-Waiting ignored her if she just pointed at things. They didn’t yell at each other anymore, because they didn’t want Prince Harold to hear, but that didn’t stop them from fighting quietly.
    When Rosella said, “I’ll wear that gown,” two amazon stones and an opal fell to the carpet. And the twelve Royal Ladies-in-Waiting went for the jewels, hitting and shoving each other.
    So Rosella took the gown out of the closet herself and laid it out on her bed. Then she stood over it, marveling. It was silk, with an embroidered bodice. Its gathered sleeves ended in lace that would tickle her fingers delightfully. And the train was lace over silk, yards and yards of it.
    â€œIt’s so pretty,” she whispered. “It belongs in the sky with the moon and the stars.”
    Two pearls and a starstone fell into the deep folds of the gown’s skirt. They were seen by a Royal Lady-in-Waiting who had taken a break from the fight on the carpet. She pounced on the gown.
    The other Royal Ladies-in-Waiting heard the silk rustle. They pounced too. In less time than it takes to sew on a button, the gown lay in tatters on the bed.
    Rosella wanted to scream, but she was afraid to. Screaming might make bigger and better gems. Then she’d have to scream all the time. Besides, her throat was really starting to hurt. She cried instead.
    The fairy Ethelinda was getting angry. Rewards weren’t supposed to work this way.

Six
    R osella didn’t mean to, but she dropped jewels on every gown in her princess wardrobe except one. And her Royal Ladies-in-Waiting ruined each of them. The one that was left was made of burlap and it was a size and a half too big. It didn’t have a real train, but it did trail on the floor, because it was four inches too long.
    Harold met Rosella in the palace’s great hall, where the Chief Royal Councillor was going to perform the betrothal ceremony. The prince thought she looked pretty, with her brown wavy hair and her big gray eyes. But why had she picked the ugliest gown in the kingdom? It was big enough for her and a gorilla. All he said, though, was, “You look beautiful, honey bunch. Are you glad to be engaged?”
    Rosella didn’t know how to answer. Being engaged wasn’t the problem, although marrying Harold might have its drawbacks. The problem was the jewels.
    â€œDid you hear me, hon? I asked you a question.” He raised his voice. “Are you happy, sweetheart?” He cupped his hand under her chin.
    Rosella spoke through her teeth so the jewels wouldn’t get out. “Everybody wants me to talk, but nobody listens to what I say.”
    â€œI’m listening, angel. Spit it out.”
    â€œI hate wild boar, and I don’t want guards to stand around. . . .” There were so many jewels in her mouth that one popped out, a hyacinth.
    Harold put it in his pocket. The orchestra started to play.
    She couldn’t keep all these stones in her mouth. She spit them into her hand and made a fist.
    â€œWe’re supposed to hold hands,” Harold whispered. “Give them to me. I’ll take good care of them.”
    What difference did it make? She let him have them.
    The ceremony began.
    Myrtle sat on the edge of the well to eat her muffins. After she ate them and licked her fingers, she headed for the stationer’s shop. When she got there, an earwig and a spider bought her enough party invitations for everyone in the village. At the bottom of each invitation she wrote, “Bring presents.”
    She gave out all the invitations, and everyone promised to come. Then she stopped at the tailor’s shop, where she picked out a gown for the party. It was white silk