English
Onceuponatimetherewasaprincewhowantedtomarryaprincess;butshewouldhavetobearealprincess.Hetravelledallovertheworldtofindone,butnowherecouldhegetwhathewanted.Therewereprincessesenough,butitwasdifficulttofindoutwhethertheywererealones.
Therewasalwayssomethingaboutthemthatwasnotasitshouldbe.Sohecamehomeagainandwassad,forhewouldhavelikedverymuchtohavearealprincess.
Oneeveningaterriblestormcameon;therewasthunderandlightning,andtherainpoureddownintorrents.Suddenlyaknockingwasheardatthecitygate,andtheoldkingwenttoopenit.
Itwasaprincessstandingoutthereinfrontofthegate.
But,goodgracious!whatasighttherainandthewindhadmadeherlook.Thewaterrandownfromherhairandclothes;itrandownintothetoesofhershoesandoutagainattheheels.Andyetshesaidthatshewasarealprincess.
Well,we'llsoonfindthatout,thoughttheoldqueen.Butshesaidnothing,wentintothebed-room,tookallthebeddingoffthebedstead,andlaidapeaonthebottom;thenshetooktwentymattressesandlaidthemonthepea,andthentwentyeider-downbedsontopofthemattresses.
Onthistheprincesshadtolieallnight.Inthemorningshewasaskedhowshehadslept.
Oh,verybadly!saidshe.Ihavescarcelyclosedmyeyesallnight.Heavenonlyknowswhatwasinthebed,butIwaslyingonsomethinghard,sothatIamblackandblueallovermybody.It'shorrible!
Nowtheyknewthatshewasarealprincessbecauseshehadfeltthepearightthroughthetwentymattressesandthetwentyeider-downbeds.
Nobodybutarealprincesscouldbeassensitiveasthat.
Sotheprincetookherforhiswife,fornowheknewthathehadarealprincess;andthepeawasputinthemuseum,whereitmaystillbeseen,ifnoonehasstolenit.
There,thatisatruestory.
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