The Grand Exchange - Princess and the Troll

Princess Penelope lived in a beautiful castle. It had tall towers and pretty gardens. She had sparkly dresses and shiny shoes. She had a room full of toys. But Princess Penelope felt very lonely. Every day was the same. She had princess lessons. Back straight! Hands folded! No wiggling! She ate with teeny-tiny spoons. She walked in the garden very carefully. Her shoes were pinchy and tight. "I wish I had a friend to play with," she sighed. She looked out through the cool window. She watched the birds playing tag in the sky. One sunny morning, Princess Penelope had an idea. She would explore the woods behind her castle! She had never been allowed to go there before. Her fancy shoes went crunch, crunch, crunch. The fallen leaves smelled earthy and fresh. The trees smelled like pine and rain. Birds chirped cheerful songs. The songs made her want to skip! As she walked deeper, she heard something sad. "Boo-hoo, sniffle, boo-hoo." The sound echoed through the trees. Princess Penelope followed the sound. Crunch, crunch, crunch went her feet. Soon she found a big, gentle troll. He was sitting by a babbling brook. He had kind green eyes and brown, fuzzy hair. Big, round teardrops rolled down his cheeks. Plip, plop they went into the water. "Hello," said Princess Penelope softly. "Why are you so sad?" The troll looked up with a surprised gasp. "Oh my! A real princess!" "Please don't run away." "I'm Bertram, and I'm so very lonely." "Everyone thinks trolls are scary." Princess Penelope sat down next to Bertram. The mossy rock felt soft and squishy. "I'm lonely too," she said. "I live in that big castle." "But I don't have any friends my age." Bertram's eyes grew wide. "Really? But you're a princess!" "You must have the most wonderful life." "Sometimes I wonder," said Princess Penelope. "What would it be like to live somewhere else?" "What's it like living in the woods?" Bertram smiled for the first time. His smile was big and warm. "Well, I wake up when the sun tickles my nose." He giggled a little. "I splash - SPLASH! - in the cool brook." "I eat juicy purple berries for breakfast." "They pop in my mouth!" "Then I swing on thick vines - wheee!" "I climb trees until my arms get all tingly!" "That sounds amazing!" said Princess Penelope. "And what's it like to live in a castle?" asked Bertram. Princess Penelope giggled. "I eat with golden spoons, but they're so heavy!" "My wrist gets tired!" "And I have to keep my pinky finger way up high." "Like this when I sip tea!" Bertram chuckled like rumbling thunder. They talked and talked. Soon the sun was high in the sky. Then Princess Penelope had an idea. "Bertram, would you like to trade places?" "Just for one day?" "You could see what it's like to be a princess." "And I could see what it's like to be a troll!" Bertram clapped his big hands together. "What a wonderful idea!" They spent time getting ready. Princess Penelope took off her heavy dress. She rolled up her sleeves. She splashed mud on her cheeks. Bertram tried to stand up very straight. He smoothed down his fuzzy hair. He practiced holding his pinky finger up high. "Perfect!" they both said at the same time, then laughed. Princess Penelope spent the most wonderful day in the woods. She was free from her fancy dress! She could run and jump and climb. She jumped - SPLASH! - right into the cool brook. The water was so cold it made her squeal with delight. She climbed tall trees that made her hands smell like Christmas. She swung on thick vines, whooshing through the air like a bird. She picked fat, juicy berries that stained her fingers purple. She got mud between her toes! It felt wonderfully squishy. But by afternoon, she was very tired. Her arms were sore from all the climbing. She missed her fluffy, soft bed. She missed the warm, cozy feeling of her castle. Meanwhile, Bertram tried his very best to act like a princess. He walked carefully to the castle. But his big feet kept making loud THUMP, THUMP sounds. The castle guards looked very surprised! "Are you here for the princess?" asked one guard. "I AM the princess!" said Bertram proudly. He tried to curtsy but almost fell over. At lunch, Bertram sat very carefully. He tried to eat soup with the teeny-tiny spoons. Clink, clink, clink went the spoon against his teeth. The spoon was so small! He had to take twenty sips just to taste the soup. He tried to walk like a princess down the hallway. But he kept forgetting! THUMP, THUMP, THUMP went his feet. Then he'd remember and tip-toe. Then he'd forget again - THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. Bertram missed his quiet brook. He missed the smell of pine trees. He missed being able to make loud, happy sounds. When the sun began to set, both friends met back at the brook. Princess Penelope was covered in mud from head to toe. She had twigs in her hair and berry juice on her face. Bertram looked very tired from trying to be so proper all day. "How was your day?" asked Princess Penelope. "It was very interesting," said Bertram. "But trying to be a princess is hard work!" "I kept forgetting to take tiny steps." "And those little spoons are impossible!" "I missed being able to be loud and free." "I loved climbing trees and splashing in the water," said Princess Penelope. "I loved getting messy!" "But I'm so tired from all that adventure." "I missed my cozy bed and my warm castle." They both started laughing. Princess Penelope washed the mud off her face. She put her princess dress back on. Bertram smoothed down his fuzzy brown hair. He stretched his arms wide and made a happy, loud sound. "AHHHH! It feels good to be myself again!" "I learned something today," said Princess Penelope. "Home is wherever you feel happy and safe." "And being a princess isn't so bad after all!" "Me too," said Bertram. "Being a troll is pretty wonderful." "But the best part was making a new friend!" From that day on, Princess Penelope would sneak away to the woods. Every afternoon she came to play with Bertram. They would splash in the brook. They would climb trees. They would tell each other stories. Sometimes Bertram would visit the castle gardens. They would have tea parties under the apple trees. They learned that the best adventures happen when you have a good friend to share them with. The End.