The Princess And The Pea

A prince longed to get married. There were many fine girls in the kingdom, but his mother, the queen, insisted that he wait for a real princess. One night, a princess came to the castle gate. Her carriage had broken down, and she needed shelter for the night. The prince fell in love with her, but his mother wanted proof that she was a real princess.

The queen slipped a single dried pea under a dozen mattresses on the bed. Only a real princess would be tender enough to feel it. The princess tossed and turned that night, and woke up quite black and blue from the pea. Only then did the queen agree to her happy son's marriage.