By Hans Christian Andersen
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This little gem of a story by Hans Christian Andersen reveals the ultimate test to find out whether or not a girl is a true princess. It is short, but sweet, and an enduring favourite. The English text is the Andrew Lang version, from his Yellow Fairy book, first published in 1894.
Read by Natasha. Duration just 4.30
There was once upon a time a Prince who wanted to marry a Princess, but she must be a true Princess. So he traveled through the whole world to find one, but there was always something against each. There were plenty of Princesses, but he could not find out if they were true Princesses. In every case there was some little defect, which showed the genuine article was not yet found. So he came home again in very low spirits, for he had wanted very much to have a true Princess. One night there was a dreadful storm; it thundered and lightened and the rain streamed down in torrents. It was fearful! There was a knocking heard at the Palace gate, and the old King went to open it.
There stood a Princess outside the gate; but oh, in what a sad plight she was from the rain and the storm! The water was running down from her hair and her dress into the points of her shoes and out at the heels again. And yet she said she was a true Princess!
‘Well, we shall soon find that!’ thought the old Queen. But she said nothing, and went into the sleeping-room, took off all the bed-clothes, and laid a pea on the bottom of the bed. Then she put twenty mattresses on top of the pea, and twenty eider-down quilts on the top of the mattresses. And this was the bed in which the Princess was to sleep.
The next morning she was asked how she had slept.
‘Oh, very badly!’ said the Princess. ‘I scarcely closed my eyes all night! I am sure I don’t know what was in the bed. I laid on something so hard that my whole body is black and blue. It is dreadful!’
Now they perceived that she was a true Princess, because she had felt the pea through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down quilts.
No one but a true Princess could be so sensitive.
So the Prince married her, for now he knew that at last he had got hold of a true Princess. And the pea was put into the Royal Museum, where it is still to be seen if no one has stolen it. Now this is a true story.
So Bertie says that’s how you tell a real princess. Sadie says she would never sit on a pea, but still Bertie won’t say that she’s a real princess and now she’s in a bit of a huff. I’m sure she will cheer up soon because she likes Bertie really.
Learning to play the drums is not what every student of music would want, not with the acoustic guitar available to choose from, not to mention modern electric guitars. A child is more likely to enjoy learning to play an instrument if they are actually interested in that instrument, like bass guitars instead of acoustics in some cases.
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83 Comments
Hello! I first off wanted to tell you that I have spotlighted your podcast on my show, MommyPOD Show #9.
Second of all, after listening to you all - I had to download all the other episodes because my daughter is now hooked in listening to the stories in the car when I plug in the iPod.
Thanks for giving the kids something to listen to that is not only entertaining, but age appropriate!!
No doubt! Storynory is fantastic. My boy likes the Bertie stories the best, but whatever’s the latest, he wants the “ipod story.”
thank you Natasha!
Bye Bye!
Hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day!!
joshua (5)
waw. Next time i see a girl pretending that she is a princes i will make her sit under a pea! i am tired of hearing: I AM A PRINCES! NO I AM A PRICES! well i guess my family of 3 girls and one boy (i am the one boy) is not going to change.
from cool greg
I ,
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,
,
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,LOVEITANDNATIA
wanthefulll
Well one night i felt somthing horror in my bed i think my mum did that
i love you sow match
its really nice grabe ka chuy
Ah, these stories are so wonderful!! I was looking for a good listening practice for my lessons all over the net but finally found this place! I am absolutely amazed.
Natasha, you have a lovely voice.
Thank you!
Lara (20) form Hungary
Lara - Super. Really glad the stories help you.
IT VERY GREAT WE DONT NEED TO READ THE STORY IT REALLY HELP ME TO KNOW WHAT TO ON OUR ROLEPLAYING
i really like this website i like listening it
GOOD
HI THIS IS NOT REALLY BOUT THE SITE OR THE BOOK BUT EVERY 1 OUT THERE DO U GUYS LOVE UR MOM
THEY SAID THEY LOVED AND REMEMBER IT IS ME MONIQUE AND WHEN I SAY THEY THAT MEANS THE KIDS
THIS IS FROM MONIQUE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU NATASHA FOR TELLING STORIES KIDS ENJOY EVEN I ENJOY EM
ALL I WANT TO SAY I HAVE READ THIS STORY 2 TIMES I REALLY LOVE THIS STORY. AND FOR BERTIE AND SADIE THIS IS FOR SADIE JUST CUZ SOMEONE SAYS U R NOT A PRINCESS THAT IS NO REASON TO GET IN A HUFF EVEN IF BERTIE DOES NOT THINK U R A PRINCESS OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK UR A PRINCESS THAT IS CUZ NO 1 HAS THE SAME MIND AND U R STILL BERTIE’S FRIEND EVEN IF U R MAD AT HIM MONIQUE WROTE THIS THANK YOU THAT GOES FOR EVERY 1 EVEN ME
I LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH AND THANK YOU NATASHA FOR READING THESE WONDERFUL STORIES THEY ARE SO GREAT WELL BYE I AM GOING TO FIND A STORY THAT I HAVEN’T READ YET MONIQUE
i really like this website i like listening it
good good
How wonderfully read! I will start my children on storynories right away! Thank you.
i lick it
i dont like this book
Good
Guys, thank You so much. You take some really good things and make them available. Thanks a lt again. May God bless you!!!
it’s a really sweet story
This story is perfect for my class project!
it was ok
I it a nice story
my son love to hear stories. I saw it Ist time. My son really love it.
Thank you very much for making this site for kids.
my son love to hear stories. Thanks.
i love your stories thank you because i love princesses
When I red “Princess And The Pea” it was the best story I have red on story nory! Thanks for puting “Princess and the Pea” on this eb page!!!
Princess and the Pea is a wonderful story that everybody would love to read over and over again i know i would
nooo entiiendoo ni paaapa
this is a fantastic history
i think is the best of the history’s in the world!
it is arealy good book fairy book
i love so much ur story i love u oll
love so much ur story i love u oll
…so beautiful story..every0ne will love it!…
That was a great story!Natasha is a great story teller!
I like the way storynory change the story a bit like the 20 matresses!
great story!Storynory!
I think this was a intaresting story
This storynory was really short but really good!!Espessally the part about the 20 mattereses and the 20 quilts!I think this is a good way to know if a real princess is standing at your door,trying hard to get inside & prove that she is a real princess or not!
I liked the adjectives and how they described where the water was going down, (e.g down her hair.) Wow! 20 mattresses and 20 quilts.The prince must LOVE the princess before he marries her !(:
this storynory rocks
Short story.I wouldn’t want to marry a girl who is so fussy about such a small thing.
I liked the story of ‘The Princess and the Pea’ a little.
I find it strange that the princess can feel the pea under twenty mattresses and twenty quilts. I find it hard to believe that her back turns blue.
Natasha did a good job at telling the story because she made it exciting with her nice soft voice and clear words.
On my opinion no one can really feel a pea through 20 mattresses and 20 quilts.I think the princess didn’t sleep well because it is very uncomfortable to lie on top of a very high mattres.
very interesting
this is the best book I ever read.
great!
laver du sonny
this a wonderful story
so good man !!!
øhh hva R’ meningen med det
ole er sej
):):(;:
jeg er sulten men ikke mere =)
jeg er sulten men ikke mere
den er god men lidt lang tråget
de er for seje i historien men er ikke sage nok til en gita
good stoery
this is awsome
this is a wonderful storie and short .!!!!!!!
i love this story!!!!!!its #1!!!!!!!!!!!
I could barley keep up with natasha
I think the story is wonderful
I like this story very much!!!!!It is a great story!!!!!
I think the story is wonderful!!!!I could keep up with natasha!!!I am infante!!!My father is king!!!My monther is queen!!!ah!!ah!
I like this story it is a good story and very interesting i want to thank natasha and bertie and natasha all your stories are interesting and are good
I loved the story. it was awsome! twenty matresses!!Wow!!
I am a naughty girl! But I think this story
is my best teacher,I like it verymuch!If you
will have anything ,please call me ! CLASS 4
Grade 7, cw’s deskmate!
chindrella
I am naughty girl. But i love story .
” My father is a King and My mother is a Queen. ”
” And my big sister and me Princess.” \
” Wow is the Wonderful FAMILY.
wzy loves jy verymuch
I like this story very much.
I liked the story teller’s voice.
I love mairl
THIS STORY IS VERY NICE! I LIKE IT VERY MUCH!
this story is ok i won’t read it that much
great it is
Story nory
its horible
I LIKE THIS STORY!!
I PREFER fantasilical stories
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