The Swineherd
Once upon a time, in a grand and bustling kingdom, there lived a proud and beautiful princess. She was known far and wide for her beauty, but also for her haughty nature. She cared little for kindness or humility and was only interested in wealth and luxury. Many princes came from distant lands to ask for her hand in marriage, but she turned them all away, finding fault with each one.
One day, a humble prince from a small neighbouring kingdom arrived at the palace. He was not dressed in fine robes or adorned with jewels but wore simple clothes and carried a modest gift: a perfect rose from his garden and a nightingale that sang the sweetest songs. He hoped to win the princess’s heart with these thoughtful gifts.
But the princess sneered at his offerings. “A rose and a bird?” she said with a laugh. “These are nothing but common things. I deserve far more than this!” And with that, she sent the prince away.
The prince, however, was clever and determined. He decided to teach the princess a lesson about true worth. He disguised himself as a swineherd, dirtying his face and wearing ragged clothes, and returned to the kingdom. He set up a small hut near the palace and began tending to the pigs.
One day, the princess was walking in the garden when she heard a strange and enchanting sound. It was a small pot, hanging from the swineherd’s hut, and when it boiled, it played a tune: “Oh, my darling Augustine, all is lost, all is lost!” The princess was fascinated. She had never heard anything so delightful.
She sent her lady-in-waiting to ask the swineherd about the pot. The swineherd said, “I will not sell it for gold or jewels, but for ten kisses from the princess.”
The lady-in-waiting reported this to the princess, who was outraged. “Ten kisses? From me? How dare he!” But the tune from the pot was so enchanting that she couldn’t resist. She agreed to give the swineherd ten kisses in secret, behind a tree where no one could see.
The next day, the swineherd brought out another marvellous object: a rattle that, when spun, played all the waltzes and polkas ever composed. The princess was even more enchanted by this and asked to buy it. The swineherd said, “I will not sell it for gold or jewels, but for one hundred kisses from the princess.”
The princess was furious but couldn’t resist the rattle. She agreed to give the swineherd one hundred kisses, again in secret. But as she was kissing him, the king happened to pass by and saw what was happening. He was horrified. “What is this?” he cried. “My daughter, kissing a swineherd!”
The princess tried to explain, but the king was too angry. “You care more for trinkets than for honour and dignity,” he said. “You are no longer fit to be a princess. Leave this palace at once!”
And so, the princess was banished from the kingdom. As she wandered the countryside, she came across the swineherd’s hut. The swineherd, who was really the prince, revealed his true identity. “I offered you the gifts of my heart—a rose and a nightingale—but you rejected them for mere toys. Now you have lost everything.”
The princess fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “I was foolish and vain,” she said. “Please forgive me.”
The prince, seeing her genuine remorse, took pity on her. “True worth lies not in wealth or status but in kindness and humility,” he said. “If you can learn this lesson, I will give you another chance.”
The princess vowed to change her ways, and the prince took her back to his kingdom. There, they were married, and the princess became a kind and humble queen. She cherished the rose and the nightingale, which reminded her of the importance of true value.
And so, the prince and princess ruled their kingdom with wisdom and compassion, and they lived happily ever after.
