One stormy night, as rain pounded against the palace walls, the family suddenly heard a knock at the main gate. When the guards opened the door, they found a young princess standing in the cold. Her dress was soaked, her hair clung to her face, and her hands trembled from the harsh wind. Yet despite her miserable state, she was undeniably beautiful, and something about her gentle expression immediately captured the prince’s attention. It was the first time he felt a spark of genuine admiration for anyone.
The queen noticed the way her son looked at the girl. For the first time in years, she felt a glimmer of hope. Still, she wanted to be certain that this visitor truly was a princess. In her heart, she believed that only someone with genuine royal sensitivity could be the bride her son had been waiting for. So she quietly prepared a small test.
That night, while arranging a room for their guest, the queen slipped a single pea onto the bottom mattress. Then she stacked mattress after mattress on top of it until the bed reached so high that the young princess had to climb a small ladder to reach the top. To everyone else, the bed looked unbelievably soft and luxurious, the kind of place where anyone would fall asleep instantly.
But the princess did not sleep at all. Though the bed appeared perfect, she felt something small and uncomfortable beneath her all night, and she tossed and turned, unable to rest. By morning, faint dark circles appeared under her eyes.
At breakfast, the queen gently asked how she had slept. The princess answered honestly. She said she could not rest because there seemed to be a hard object under the mattress, something so noticeable that it kept her awake until dawn. Hearing this, the queen nodded with satisfaction. She finally revealed her secret: a single pea hidden beneath all those layers of bedding.
The prince was overjoyed. Only someone with such delicate sensitivity could be a true princess, and now he knew his feelings were real. He felt certain that he had finally found the woman he was meant to marry. With the queen’s approval and the princess’s kind heart, the prince knew he had no reason to hesitate any longer.