Once upon a time there was a princess called Tanya, who lived in a very, very, very big castle. The princess’s parents, that is to say, the king and queen, wanted her to marry a handsome knight called Norman, who would often visit them to discuss the land they shared, so Tanya and Norman saw plenty of each other.

Unfortunately Tanya didn’t love him. Although they got on well enough, she didn’t much like him, for Norman was very boastful.

One day, Tanya the princess was talking to Norman about the new decorations the king and queen were going to make in the castle, when suddenly Norman changed the subject and said: “Tanya, I like you a lot. In fact, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

The princess was shocked but instead of firm “NO“, she said: “Norman, you’re a very handsome knight, but I like to be honest with people. So I’m going to tell you what I don’t like about you, which is this: firstly, you’re a show-off, because you like boasting about the clothes you wear when really a person’s clothes aren’t that important; secondly, you spit in the street which is disgusting, and lastly, I’m not going to marry you just because my parents tell me to: I’m going to marry a man I really love.”

Norman reflected long and hard on what the princess had said. To begin with, he felt bad about her opinion of him, but he soon cheered up when he realised that all the things she mentioned were things he could change. It wasn’t his personality that annoyed her, but his behaviour.

So Norman began trying not to brag about his clothes, and started to feel happy in more modest clothing. He also learned not to spit in the street so as not to look horrible and coarse, and he felt better about that, too. And finally, he went to talk to the king and queen to ask them not to talk to the princess Tanya about him, and that way she wouldn’t feel pressured into marrying him.

Tanya and Norman continued spending time together and gradually Tanya began to notice the change in his habits. Seeing that he no longer did horrible things, she also began to notice other details about him, and to like him.

Eventually the princess fell in love and married him.

So you see how the princess’s honesty gave the knight the chance to think and change a few little things that had upset her. Honesty helps people find solutions to lots of problems.

THE END