Once upon a time, there was a young prince who wanted to marry a real princess. He searched far and wide, but each time he met someone, he wondered if she was truly a princess. Some were graceful but not kind, others were rich but not gentle. The prince longed for someone who was noble both inside and out.
One stormy evening, thunder roared and rain poured from the sky. Suddenly, there was a knock at the castle gate. A young woman stood outside, soaked with rain, her clothes muddy, and her hair dripping wet. She claimed to be a princess and asked for shelter.
The queen, curious to test her, prepared a special bed for the young woman. She laid twenty mattresses one on top of another, and on top of them, twenty soft feather beds. Then, at the very bottom of the pile, she placed one tiny green pea.
The princess climbed carefully to the top and tried to sleep. But all night long, she tossed and turned. She felt something hard beneath the mattresses and could not rest.
The next morning, the queen asked her, “How did you sleep, my dear?” The young woman sighed. “I hardly slept at all. Something small and hard was under me, and it pressed into my back and sides. I feel bruised all over!”
Hearing this, the queen smiled. Only a true princess, so delicate and sensitive, could feel a single pea through so many layers. The prince was overjoyed. At last, he had found a real princess to be his bride.
The tiny pea was placed in a glass case, where it could still be seen to this day. And everyone knew that the young woman was indeed a real princess.
📖 Introduction
The Princess and the Pea is a classic fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen.
It is a whimsical story about a prince searching for a true princess, and the unusual test that revealed her identity.
Children love this tale for its humor, exaggeration, and magical feeling, while adults often see it as a reminder of the importance of truth and authenticity.
🎯 Themes / Takeaway
- True identity will always reveal itself.
- Small details can make a big difference.
- Fairy tales use exaggeration to spark imagination and wonder.
🏡 How to Use This Story
🎤 Activity 1: Read Aloud
- Use dramatic tone when describing the storm and the enormous pile of mattresses.
- Pause after “a single pea” to let children imagine how small it is.
- Encourage kids to join in by saying “twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds!”
❓ Activity 2: Ask Children
- “Why did the queen put a pea under the mattresses?”
- “What happened when the princess tried to sleep?”
- “How do we know she was a real princess?”
- “Do you think it’s fair to test someone this way? Why or why not?”
🎭 Activity 3: Role-Play
- Assign roles: the Prince, the Princess, the Queen, and a servant.
- Act out the storm, the test with mattresses, and the morning conversation.
- Stack pillows or cushions to pretend they are the “twenty mattresses.”
🎨 Activity 4: Creative Expression
- Drawing: Have children draw a giant bed piled high with mattresses and a tiny pea at the bottom.
- Craft: Use green paper or clay to make a “pea” and stack blankets or cushions at home.
- Imagination: Ask children to invent their own “princess test” (e.g., walking across feathers, tasting a magical soup).
💡 Activity 5: Connect to Real Life
- “Have you ever been bothered by something very small, like a rock in your shoe?”
- “Why do little details sometimes matter a lot?”
- “What makes a person truly special—is it what they look like, or who they are inside?”