Author: Abbie Farwell Brown

Publisher: Abela Publishing Ltd

Published: 2020-03-02

Total Pages: 87

ISBN-13: 8835379113

Herein is a collection of four short fantasy stories, including: The Flower Princess, The Little Friend, The Mermaid's Child and The Ten Blowers. In our main story there is a beautiful Princess named Fleurette, who loves flowers. She lives in a marble palace on a hill. Many princes come from near and wide and become enamoured with her beauty and seek her hand in marriage. But Fleurette tells each of the princes that if he wants to marry her he has to tell her what her favourite flower is. She tells them “I have no mind to exchange hearts, save with him who can find mine, where it is hidden among my flowers. Guess me my favourite flower, dear Prince, and I am yours.” As yet, no prince has been successful in naming her favourite flower. Princess Fleurette loves the flowers in her palace garden, so much so, that every morning before the palace has risen, she visits her garden. She greets each one affectionately and basks in their beauty as well as savours the perfume of her blooms. She takes good care of them, removing the weeds and dead-heads the withered flowers. Even though she has gardeners, she does whatever needs to be done. Once done, she returns to the palace for breakfast. One morning while she is in the garden, a handsome youth, clad in green, named Joyeuse appears. He is a minstrel, a swordsman and herbalist.. Princess Fleurette is quite taken aback because of this intrusion into her personal space. Joyeuse has is unaware he is speaking to the Princess and thinks her to be one of the palace maidens. The Princess has a liking for Joyeuse and gives him tasks to determine if he is authentic, and capable of performing the tasks he claims to be proficient in. When she pricked her finger on a rose thorn, she asked him how he will cure her, and he tells her what to put on her finger. The next day there is no trace that her finger was ever injured. She asks him to play music and he plays beautiful music which delights her no end. The next time they meet she requests he teach her how to play to prove his worth as a teacher, and once again he delivers. They are so engrossed in what they are doing that time passes and a gardener appears. The Princess flees and Joyeuse is arrested for trespassing. The next morning he appeared before the court and realised the maiden was no ordinary maiden at all. Even though he isn’t a prince, Joyeuse takes the opportunity to ask for her hand in marriage. The Princess consults her advisers and they tell her that Joyeuse has to prove that is courageous. Being an expert swordsman, he easily does this without harming his opponent. Overnight he analysed what the princess had said when telling suitors how they can win her hand in marriage, and in doing so he realises something that other suitors have not yet discovered and that that the morning glory has to be her favourite flower. When asked by the Princess he announces what he believes the favourite flower to be. But, is he correct? Does he become a Prince or is he thrown out of the palace? KEYWORDS/TAGS: The Flower Princess, Little Friend, Mermaid's Child, Ten Blowers, Folklore, fairy tale, myth, legend, fable, childrens story, storyteller, baby, beauty, blonde, Child, Christmas, dove, fair, family, Fleurette, flower, Fortemain, garden, Gil, heart, hill, Jan, Joyeuse, King, lost love, Mermaid, merry, morning mother, music, palace, Pierre, Prince, Princess, race, Sea-child, secret, snow, Stork, strange, throne, time, village, voice, words, Let Him Prove It, Princess Fleurette, Clap Her Hands, Joy, Help Comes, Blow For Our King,