Letter to a Little Princess
Dear Princess,
It is a very special privilege to belong to King Jesus, for all His shining palaces and bright gardens are for you to enjoy. But, many princesses forget this and start acting like beggars. It happened to Princess Precious….
It all began when Discontent flounced into the palace classroom. She didn’t look like the other princesses at all, but all Princess Precious only saw her bright curls and lacy clothes, so different than her own plain ones. If only Precious had known that Discontent was an Imp from the enemy camp!
But that wasn’t all of it. When the lessons were given, the new pupil was very rude. “What a boring thing to do!” she said, and began to draw.
“Please attend to your work,” Mother Matron said. Discontent made a frightful pout and was sent from the room. Then, at recess….
“Hey, Brown-braid!” Precious turned to see Discontent wink at her. What did she want? “Want to have curls like mine?” Precious stopped. “I have a catalog mirror and comb I can give you, to fix your plain look.”
Precious blushed, but asked, “What does the catalog mirror do?”
“Why, to show you how to be pretty!” Discontent pulled out a fat, colorful catalog with a mirror on the front and a shiny comb attached. Precious stepped closer. She did look strange! Discontent shoved it into her hand, saying quickly, “Don’t forget, we live a lot better outside these prison walls.” Then she was gone.
All the rest of the day Precious thought about it. Could she really be pretty and live better? She flipped through the catalog and peered in the mirror. How ugly she looked! She took off her crown and tried combing her hair, but it only tangled. “It’s no use!” she sighed.
Precious lay awake thinking of all the things she wanted in the catalog, and got up with cross thoughts. “I’m sure Discontent was right. Life here is dull, and I don’t feel like a morning chat with King Jesus. I feel like donuts for breakfast and having a vacation.” She went down to the kitchen.
“We’re having waffles,” Princess Praise said, stopping her singing only a moment. She looked very pretty, but that only made Precious crosser.
“I want donuts and cocoa,” she said, when Mother Matron came in.
“Not today!” she said, then stopped short. “Why is your hair all messed and your clothes wrinkled, Precious? Did you forget to look in the glass of Truth in the King’s courtroom?”
Precious hung her head and muttered, “I need donuts and a vacation today.”
“Where did you hear that?” Mother Matron asked quietly. “I don’t believe you’ve been to see the King this morning: you look more like a dirty beggar than a princess.”
“I didn’t look pretty anyway, and He couldn’t help—”
“Precious! You must have been poisoned by that wretched little Imp.”
“What Imp?” But Precious knew.
“You are miserable because of Discontent and her words, are you not?” Precious didn’t know what to say. She had thought the catalog would make her happy, but it had not.
“I think a visit with the King will fix this all up,” Mother Matron said gently.
And it did, though Discontent’s gifts had to be burned and the tangled hair carefully brushed before the King was satisfied. At last He took Precious on His lap and smiled. “I’m glad to have my princess back! Remember that you are a Princess, and never let any lying Imps steal your treasures.” Precious looked up in surprise, and King Jesus pointed to her golden robe and crown, adding, “If you will work with Praise today, I’m sure you’ll remember many more.”
So, dear ones, let us also remember this lesson.
With love,
Aunt Faith
