Another of my cute little stories written when I was younger. This one about a Princess who meets the Sun.

© Nancy C. Ward. All rights reserved!

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The Princess and the Sun

   Once Upon a time there was a king and his only daughter. The daughter, whose name was Diana, had beautiful, golden hair and deep blue eyes. However, the king never let Diana marry because he did not want to give her up. One day, as Diana was walking in the garden, an old peddler stopped and asked for a drink. Diana, who was as kind as she was beautiful, gave him a cup of the purest water she could find. The peddler thanked her and went on his way.
   Later that week the king fell ill and lay in bed because he was too sick to get up. The Nurse, who was taking care of the king, told his daughter Diana that her father was soon to die. The princess, who loved her father, began to cry. She wandered into the garden and started to pray. Just then the old peddler appeared and said,
   “Do not cry dear princess, I will save your father. Just take me to his room and I will take care of everything.” The princess hurried the old peddler to her father’s room and left to go wait in her own room. The old man approached the king.
   “If I save you,” he said, leaning over the bed where the king lay, “will you give me your three finest servants for myself?”
   “Yes anything!” moaned the king.
   “Very well,” said the peddler, “go to sleep. When you awaken, you will be better.” So the king went to sleep and when he woke, he was sick no more.
   The princess was overjoyed. However, three weeks later the king broke his leg when he fell down the stairs. He lay in bed moaning and groaning. The nurse, who was taking care of the king again, told Princess Diana that her father was soon to die. Diana, who loved her father, began to cry. She again wandered into the garden crying and praying for her father. Suddenly the old peddler appeared and said,
   “Do not cry dear princess, I will save your father. Just take me to his room and I will take care of everything.” So, the princess again hurried the old peddler to her father’s room and left them alone. The old man again went up to the king.
   “If I save you,” he said, “will you give me your three finest flocks of farm animals for myself?”
   “Yes anything!” groaned the king.
   “Very well,” said the peddler, “go to sleep. When you awaken, you will be better.” So, the king went to sleep and when he woke his leg was not broken anymore.
   The princess was, again, happy. But three weeks later the king fell ill again, and this time it was much worse. He lay in bed most of the time delirious with fever. The nurse, who was taking care of the king once again, told Princess Diana that her father was soon to die. Diana, who loved her father, cried harder than ever before. She went into the garden weeping and wailing. All of a sudden the old peddler appeared and said,
   “Do not cry dear princess, I will save your father. Just take me to his room and I will take care of everything.” The princess hurried the old peddler up to her father’s room and left him to his work. The old peddler walked towards the king.
   “If I save you,” he said, “will you give me whatever I ask?”
   “Yes anything.” whispered the king.
   “Very well,” said the peddler, “go to sleep. When you awaken, you will be better.” So, the king went to sleep and when he woke his illness was gone.
   The princess was very happy. The king went about his business and forgot about his promise to the peddler. Three weeks later the peddler walked into the throne room and said to the king,
   “I have come for what you owe me.” The king remembered his first two promises and summoned his three finest servants and his three finest flocks of farm animals.
   “That is not all you owe me.” Said the old peddler.
   “What else do I owe you?” asked the king.
   “I wish to marry your daughter.” said the peddler.
   “What!” yelled the king.
   “I can undo the healing I put on you if you prefer.” said the peddler.
   “No, I will give you my daughter,” replied the king sadly. He called for his daughter and said to her, “I promised to give your hand in marriage to the peddler in exchange for my life.” So, the peddler took the princess with him to a cottage deep in the forest.
   “I am not who I look like.” he told her.
   “What?” said Diana puzzled.
   “You just have to trust me.” he replied.
   “Ok.” said Princess Diana.
   “Now close your eyes and hold my hands.” he told her. So, Diana closed her eyes and placed her hands in his. Suddenly everything was warm and she felt wind rushing past her face. Just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.
   “You can open your eyes now.” he said. She opened her eyes and saw a very handsome young man surrounded in yellowish light. Then she looked down and gasped. They were in the sky, and she looked down on the world below.
   “I am the sun, I fell in love with you and came down, disguised as a peddler, so I could meet you. You were as kind as you are beautiful.” Diana smiled and agreed to be his wife. So, the sun and Princess Diana were married and lived happily ever after.

The End

© Nancy C. Ward