"John Morressy - The True History of the Picky Princess" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

The True History of the Picky Princess by John Morressy
Copyright 2006 by John Morressy. All rights reserved.

According to the lessons of the Trojan War, we should be wary of Greeks bearing gifts. A recent
birthday card cleverly updated that warning to tell your editor to beware of geeks bearing gifts.
But nobody ever said anything about fairies...
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A handsome king and his beautiful queen had one child, a daughter, whom they resolved to cherish and
protect and indulge as their greatest treasure.

Following ancient custom, they invited the good fairies of the kingdom to her christening. They did this
not merely to safeguard themselves and the child against a breach of etiquette and the unpleasant
consequences thereof, but also in the confidence that good fairies could be counted upon to bestow
desirable gifts.

Theirs was a small kingdom. Only three fairies resided within its boundaries. They were sisters, very
talented, and reputed to be generous toward newborn children, especially those of the better sort.

The fairies arrived separately and greeted one another cordially, but with no display of sisterly warmth.
There was, in fact, a definite coolness in their relations, for they were highly competitive, and each
believed that her area of specialization was insufficiently respected by her sisters. All three were touchy
about what they considered the petty jealousy of the other two.

Delighted by the presence of the three sisters, the king and queen were oblivious to the frosty
atmosphere. Had they been more observant, they might have had second thoughts about the invitation.
But kings and queens have a way of seeing what they wish to see, rather than what is occurring before
their eyes. Their attention was focused on gifts, not the givers.

Custom, and in some places, law, dictates that all good fairies be beautiful, dress in splendid gowns of
moonbeams and gossamer, and have mellifluous and endearing names. The sisters observed the first two
precepts to the letter: they were stunning beauties, impeccably groomed and magnificently attired. But
they had no fondness for the kind of names popular among the fairies. "Titania" and "Gloriana" were
tolerable, but only just; "Tinker Bell" they considered insufferably winsome, and "Puck" downright silly.
They had chosen names they judged more suited to their station.

When the welcoming ceremonies were complete, and they were standing over the crib of little princess
Infatuata, the oldest sister, Splendora, said, "I shall bestow on this child the gift of a lifetime of
breathtaking loveliness. To the end of her days, no woman will ever surpass her in beauty." She turned to
her sisters and with a benign smile said, "And what comparable gifts do you propose for this dear child?"

Scintillata, the second sister, gave her a cool glance. "Beauty is a pleasant acquisition, Splendora dear,
but one must be constantly aware of it if she is fully to savor it. Therefore, to make up for your oversight I
will give the little darling the gift of unshakable self-esteem."

The two then turned to the youngest sister, Exquisitina, and favored her with smug looks. "Your gift, dear
sister?" said Splendora, and "Think carefully," said Scintillata.

"Unlike some people I know, it is my custom always to do so," said Exquisitina. "It is advisable for a
princess to be beautiful, and sensible for her to be aware of her beauty, but it would be foolish indeed to
waste a lifetime of beauty on the undiscriminating. I therefore give the child the gift of pickiness. She will