The Prince’s Dance 
by the Storyteller
Once and
forever there was a King who reigned in a silver city with skies
the perfect shade of blue when it was good to be blue but other colors
when it was good to be other colors. The King had many children
but his heart was so great that he always desired more to love.
So one day he decided to create another prince for his kingdom.
He gave the Prince hair as golden as the fields and eyes as green as
the Ever Green flower. What? You've not heard of the Ever
Green flower? Well, then I shall tell you! Most flowers
have green stems and leaves but the Ever Green flower has a green bloom
of the most appealing shade! And it is only found behind the
gates of the King's city. And so it was from the bloom of this
most special of flowers that the Prince's eye color came. And
whenever anyone looked into those eyes they could sense, even if they
could not see, the King's city in them.
The King
loved the Prince and was everything a father should be. But one
day the Prince looked down from the King's kingdom to the Rumble-Tumble
Earth below. The Prince's heart was moved as he watched the
people work and play, love and hate, die and live. He at once
knew he had to leave his Father's kingdom and be among them. The
Father proudly listened to the Prince's request. He granted his
boy his wish and sent him on his way with a dance in his soul and a
song in his heart.
And so the
Prince of Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes went to the Rumble-Tumble
Earth. He danced for the people there and sang the song his
Father had put in him. It was a simple song, no more than three
words but beautiful and the Prince never forgot it. But years on
the Rumble-Tumble Earth can change a Prince. Even the Prince of
Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes. One day the Prince realized he
had forgotten his dance! He was greatly grieved for it had come
from his Father.
In his days
on the Rumble-Tumble Earth, the Prince had made many friends and now
they gathered around their friend, intent upon helping him. He
told them about his lost dance and each of them vowed to help him find
it. Where had he lost it? He did not know. And
so the Four Ladies of the Rumble-Tumble Earth decided to each go
their own ways and look for the Prince's dance.
One went to
the highest mountain she could find. Once atop it she saw a
deer. She asked it "Have you seen the dance of the Prince of
Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes? He has lost it."
"I've not,"
said the deer, "but take this to him. Have him open it when all
are gathered together."
And the Lady
took the box that was offered her and went back the way she had come.
Another swam
to the deepest part of the ocean. Once she had come to its
bejeweled depths she saw a great fish. She asked it "Have you
seen the dance of the Prince of Golden Fields and Ever Green
Eyes? He has lost it."
"I've not,"
said the fish, "but take this to him. Have him open it when all
are gathered together."
And this
Lady took the box that was offered her and swam back the way she had
come.
A third flew
to as far as the wind would take her. Once she had reached the
farthest part of the Rumble-Tumble Earth she saw the Wind Woman.
She asked her "Have you seen the dance of the Prince of Golden
Fields and Ever Green Eyes? He has lost it."
"I've not,"
said the Woman, "but take this to him. Have him open it when all
are gathered together."
And this
Lady also took the box that was offered her and flew back the way
she had come.
A fourth
returned to her own home. Once she had reached her home she
picked up her baby and cradled the child. Not expecting an answer
from one so small, she asked nonetheless "Have you seen the dance of
the Prince of Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes? He has lost it."
She was much
startled when the wee baby said "I've not but take this to him.
Have him open it when all are gathered together."
And so she
gathered up her baby and took the box that was offered her
and returned to where they had left the Prince.
When she got
there all the other Ladies were gathered around the forlorn
Prince. One by one they began to present him with the boxes they
had obtained.
The first Lady gave him the box the deer had
given her. The Prince of Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes opened
it. From the box came a single perfect pebble. And the
Prince was reminded of all the beauty of the Rumble-Tumble Earth and
smiled.
The second
Lady gave him the box the fish had given her. The Prince opened
this box also and smiled upon a perfect seashell. He put it
to his ear, listening to its song, and was reminded of his
Father's song of love.
The third
Lady gave him the box the Wind Woman had given her. Again the
Prince opened the box. From it flew a butterfly that landed
briefly upon his outstretched finger before taking flight. He
smiled and thought of the freedom the King had granted his children.
Finally, the
fourth lady came and gave the Prince the box her own child had given
her. The Prince opened this box as well. From this box came
the sound of a child's gleeful laughter. Tears came to the
Prince's Ever Green eyes, making them even more green and even more
like the King's silver city with blue skies when it was good to be
blue. They were tears of joy and as one fell to the floor below,
the Prince of Golden Fields and Ever Green Eyes suddenly remembered his
dance. And right there, on the Rumble-Tumble Earth, the Prince
danced. They say he still sometimes journeys from the city of his
Father to the Rumble-Tumble Earth bringing with them his beautiful but
simple three word song and his dance born of beauty, love, freedom, and
a child's glee.