Literatura nº12

THE TRAVELING PRINCE

Por: Carlos Rubio

Once upon a time in a far far away kingdom there was a king named Edward with his court. They were talking about the future of the crown.

The king was very old and he needed an heir, but the king had only a son, Prince Stephen who was ten years old.

Stephen didn’t want to be prince since his mother was murdered for being the queen of the kingdom. He just wanted to travel around the world riding his wooden horse Thunder visiting all of the other kingdoms the prince had heard in the tales his governess used to tell him and the strange Chinese eyes and the barbarians braids.

One day his father came and told him that five years later Stephen had to be crowned king. He also  gave Stephen a lot of advice to play his role properly as a king .

After a long talk, the young boy said:

- Daddy, I don’t want to be king, I want to travel around the world riding my wooden horse and see the strange Chinese eyes and the barbarians braids.

The king didn’t know how to respond, so he said:

- Son, you can’t do it, you’re the prince and you must be the king of this great kingdom.

Stephen began to cry and said:

“Dad I’m so sorry but I will never be king! Never!

And he ran to his room to play with his wooden horse:

-Thunder, don’t worry, everything is going to be all right, we will see the strange Chinese eyes and the barbarians braids.

The five years passed by.

The prince was crying in his room talking to his wooden horse:

- Thunder, I’m sorry, I’ve failed you, tomorrow I will be king and I will never be able to go with you around the world and see the strange Chinese’s eyes and the barbarians‘ braids.

And while he was crying he kissed the horse on its head.

The king was worried about his son and went to see him:

- Son, may I come in?

- Yes daddy.

- Why are you crying my child?

- It’s nothing dad, never mind…

The worried king said:

-Son, being king isn’t easy, but don’t worry, I know you will do it so brilliantly!

It was dark and the prince was asleep in his bed near his wooden horse.

At midnight, Thunder came to life and turned into a big and white horse.

The horse woke up the prince and said:

-Stephen, it’s me, Thunder. Your tears gave me life and now I’m here to travel around the world you, to see the strange Chinese eyes and see the barbarians braids.

Stephen couldn’t believe it and he quickly wrote a letter to his father, King Edward:

“Dear Daddy, my only passion is to travel around the world on the back of my horse Thunder, see the strange Chinese eyes and the barbarians braids. This dream begins to come true now. I’m so sorry because I’m leavin without saying goodbyee, but I have to make  my dream come true and I shall do it now.”

The prince left the palace on his horse Thunder, they both travelled around the world, and they finally saw the strange Chinese eyes and the barbarians braids.

Finally, the moral is be what you want to be J