Blog Post #6: The Princess and the Stone

Once upon a time, long, long ago, there lived a princess named Ana. She lived in a glorious castle with her parents, the king and queen. Ana grew up without any siblings and many times found good company with the animals of the forest. Though she found much happiness with her family and animal friends, Ana desired a deeper love. She was at the age where it was time to find a prince and she was ready to find her true love. 

Ana had found suitors, but none made her truly happy. She was close to giving up on her search when she met Prince John. She thought she had found the one. Prince John was a handsome prince from another land, and was desired by many other princesses in many other kingdoms. He told Ana that they would one day be married. Ana loved him with all of her heart, soul, and mind, and John told her she was his reason for living. He sang her sweet love songs and bought her many gifts. Blinded by his golden eyes, tall stature, sweet voice, and generosity, no one saw that the prince’s heart was as dark as the rose is red. The prince only cared about himself and his appearance; he was too in love with himself to ever love Ana like she desired. In the eyes of the public, Prince John treated Ana like the princess she was, but behind closed doors he only made her cry. One day John told her that he could no longer endure their relationship. He told her that with her, he could not be the man he wanted to be, and he left. Ana was devastated. She locked herself in her tower and cried for weeks. 

Ana’s mother’s heart ached for her daughter. One day, the queen brought Ana a gift. It was a stone. The stone was beautiful, perfectly smooth, oval, and not like any other stone. “This stone is not just an ordinary stone,” the queen explained to Ana, “this stone will help lead you to your true love.” Ana looked at her mother with tears in her eyes, and for the first time in a long time, hope in her heart. “How will I know?” she asked her mother. “You’ll just know” she replied.

Ana became obsessed with the stone. She thought that the only medicine that could heal her broken heart was true love. She traveled all over waiting for the stone to lead her to her true love, but nothing changed, and the stone led her to no one. Ana ran off into the woods where she did all her thinking. Frustrated, Ana threw the stone as hard as she could. “Ouch!” someone yelled after a loud thump. Ana quickly ran to the voice, concerned that she had injured someone. Ana did not see what she expected. Next to the fallen stone stood a beautiful black stallion. “I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, “I was upset and so I threw the stone, I did not mean to hurt anyone.” “Do not fret,” said the stallion, “I think I can help you.”….”I’ve seen this stone before,” the stallion explained, “I know how it works.” The princess’s heart pounded with anticipation, “how?! how does it work?” The stallion looked at her with his caring eyes, “when the stone starts to feel warm, it means your heart is content.” “So, if the stone is warm, I will know that I have found love?”…”Yes” he replied. Ana thanked the stallion, hugged him goodbye, and began her journey home. The whole way she was emerged in deep thought, wondering where she would look next for her true love. Now that she knew the secret behind the stone, this time she could be sure of her prince.

On her arrival home, her parents and friends greeted her with joyous hearts. “We were worried,” they told her, “we don’t know what we would do if we ever lost you!” Ana smiled, then she felt something, her hand…it was warm. She opened her grasp to see the stone, it was glowing, and it was warm. At that moment Ana knew, she knew that all the love she would ever need was surrounding her within her family and friends. At that moment, Ana felt content. She understood what the wise stallion was trying to tell her. “The stone will feel warm, when your heart is content,” she whispered to herself. From then on, Ana never went searching for love. Soon after, a prince traveled to her kingdom to deliver a message to her father. When introduced to Ana, he smiled warmly at her; the prince paused, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a glowing stone. And so, they all lived happily ever after.