Once Upon a Time! In a Far Away Land! A wild prince decided to ask all the wise men in the kingdom what feat he could perform that would make him the greatest man in history. Some said that he should conquer the world, others said he should find and marry the most beautiful woman, and still others said that he should make the largest and richest building as a testament to himself that would exist for centuries and millennia. So the prince set out to do all three saying, “Only if I complete every great feat will I become the greatest man!” First, he sent out messengers to all the other kingdoms to find the most beautiful woman. Second, he sent for the every able man in his kingdom to join his army so he could begin his conquest of the world starting with whatever kingdom held the most beautiful woman. Finally, he left orders to build a tower with a huge globe on top which would be filled with sparkling waters to reflect sunlight his entire kingdom as a testament to his magnificence which was visible to every one of his people. For a long time the prince trained his army waiting for news of the most beautiful woman but none came because his servants couldn’t decide between themselves. They just weren’t smart enough to bring the 10 most or the 5 most beautiful because the prince had said *the* most beautiful. Then, all of a sudden, from a newly discovered kingdom that only one servant had visited, a woman was found that removed all doubt, she was the fairest in the entire world. So the prince, not having seen her yet, set out to conquer the kingdom in which she lived. So he loaded up all his men into ships and set sail for her country.

Six months later, he washed up on a lonely beach, alone, and not knowing where he is. Getting up, he saw a village far in the distance down the shoreline and after getting there he tried to speak with the people but found he couldn’t understand their language! So he dwelled for a few days, kindly being given food by the people but obviously this wasn’t expected to continue. The prince didn’t know what to do never having learned a trade, so he did the next best thing, he started learning one. Every day he would work for hours with different people learning their skills and coming to appreciate their constant patience in teaching him without talking. Then one day, a person came to him and said to the prince a single word in the prince’s language, “Follow,” and so for three weeks they traveled through the elements and around great obstacles in deserts, grasslands, hills, and jungles until they reached a fabulous city. The splendor and cleanliness of the buildings astounded the prince and the kindness with which the people treated each other awed him. Then, in a great house, the prince was brought before his servant. The servant, an old and worn man with a great gray beard cried out to him and showered him with tears, “Oh my lord, how good to know you are truly alive!” The servant told the prince how the king had died and the prince was now ruler, he told him about how the people rebelled against the builders and did not allow the building of the tower, and finally, about the woman. The woman did live in this city but because of the other two failures would never agree to even meet him. But the prince was contented, he realized that his life lay in the protection and service of his people, not in the glory of great feats and prepared to travel home.

A few days later though, while he was being outfitted with more appropriate garb for his great homecoming, he came across a part of the house he had never been in before, and entering, beheld the absolute vision of beauty. The young woman who sat there in the suite was beyond any other he had ever seen in appearance. Her faith radiated peace and eyes held the wonder of innocence. Looking on her, he said but one thing, “Would that I was the man worthy of you, but I know that this is never to be,” then turned and fled. As he was descending to the courtyard to leave the next day, the servant came to him and asked, “So you have met her?” and the prince replied he had, though he wished he had not now. The servant said, “She has told me that she will still accept you if you complete but one challenge for her.” The prince, wild with hope and pride, cried that he would do anything. “Then bring back to her, one thing for her to wear that is as unique as you hold her to be; you have one chance! Now go, and return before the end of the day with your gift or you shall depart alone tomorrow!” The prince shouted as though victory was already within his grasp and ran from the house. As he wandered through the marketplace, his enthusiasm quickly melted. He knew that she possessed every possible jewel or dress or any other thing that she wished.

All too quickly time passed, and soon the sun was beginning to set. The prince then thought of his three skills from the village, so he went and purchased two medium size rabbits and some dye. Skinning the rabbits, he then sewed then up into small slippers and carefully dyed them a fierce and deep purple. Only minutes left, he ran through the streets looking for the house but being unable to find it, he sat down in the street as the sun was no longer visible. Again, here he was, a prince no, a king, having failed a great task and having no result of it, no victory at all. Who was he to think that he could be a king when he couldn’t even be a good man. So he looked up through his tears and saw her face. She was looking at him through her window in the back of the house! Renewed in spirit just a little, he resolved to at least give her his gift, as worthless as himself. So he climbed up to her window and sitting there, gave her his gift. She was visibly surprised, first almost scornful, then blushing, finally smiling. He shyly began to smile back. Then she asked him, “And what do these represent?” His response, first shaky, gained confidence as he stammered out, “When I was lost at sea, I had nothing when I landed at the village, but they took me in and taught me to dye cloth, to make shoes, and to sew. Their meaning is myself, my own differences and uniqueness from their beauty right now to the wear and tear they will gain as time passes. And, the only gift that any man can ever give a woman is himself, even if he ruled the world. Now, I simply can’t think of anything else! Tell me, not whether you will accept me, but am I worthy of acceptance?!” Her answer, a simple yes, then turning him, he saw out the high window, that the sun was just now finished descending over the horizon. Then (if you can believe it) she leaned into him taking his lips in her own and circling her arms around him as though never to let go. The next morning they departed for the prince’s kingdom and there they lived Happily Ever After. The End.