Fairytale

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, lived a young girl named Kristina. She lived on a small farm with her mother and father, and her best friends were the pigs and cows her family raised. Her father pitied his daughter, because she had no real friends. She was a beautiful girl, and he knew that if she was around people more often, she could easily get a husband. The mother thought the girl was too simple and stupid, because she’d often find her talking to the animals. She told the father that they needed the girl to stay home to help with the farm, but still the father felt pity for her. One day, the father made up his mind to send Kristina to the nearest village in hopes that she would find a husband. The mother consented because she hoped to profit off the girl in case she got lucky, but the father truly hoped the girl would be happy.
The next day he woke Kristina up earlier than usual, and told her to pack her clothes. “I am sending you to the nearest village, so that you might find a husband.” The girl protested at first, for she did not want to leave her animal friends. However, the father was insistent, and eventually the girl was packed and ready to leave. She said goodbye to the cows and pigs, kissed her parents on the cheek, and headed towards the forest to get to the village. After a short walk, she came across a stream that was too wide to cross and too deep to wade through. “What am I to do now? I cannot go back home without a husband, but how will I cross this stream?” The girl sat on a fallen log and believed all was hopeless. Not long after a brown bear emerged from the bushes and trees, and the girl was terribly frightened. She jumped off the log and hid behind a tree, sure that the bear would try to eat her. The bear however, saw how distressed the beautiful girl was, and nudged the log towards the stream until it stretched across and formed a bridge for the girl to walk across. The girl witnessed this and felt compassion for the bear, picked some berries from the bush next to her, and gave them to the bear. It grunted in delight and continued along its journey, while the girl did the same.
After walking for quite some time, Kristina finally came upon the village. She found an inn with a room for her, and soon fell asleep, exhausted from her excursion. The next morning she woke up unsure of what to do next. Kristina had no idea how to find a husband, but was smart enough to know that sitting in her room would do no good. She decided to go to the market, sure that there would be men there who would be suitable husbands. She walked up and down the market streets, but the men in the village were simple folk, and while they were startled by the sight of such a beautiful girl, they knew not how to approach her. Kristina misinterpreted the men’s uncertainty and believed that she would never find a husband, and never be able to return home. She returned to the inn and wept bitterly until she fell asleep.
The innkeeper heard the poor girl crying, and sent his son to check on her. His son was a very good man, who had been born into royalty but left under the innkeeper’s care. The king and queen wanted their boy to know more about the people they ruled, so they entrusted him to the innkeeper, who raised him with morals and values not usually found within court. His royal blood made him very attractive, but the innkeeper wanted to protect the boy, and kept him out of the view of most of the villagers. He would work in the kitchen and could only go outside under hood and cloak, but was mostly unknown by the local townsfolk. However, the innkeeper noticed Kristina’s beauty as soon as she walked through the door, and took pity on the girl when he heard her tears. He believed Kristina would be a suitable wife for the young prince, and sent him to check on her.
The boy, named Henry, was surprised by his father’s request. He had never before been sent to check on a customer, and found the request quite odd. However, when he walked in the room and saw the maiden, who had cried herself to sleep, he was struck by her beauty. He would not disturb her, and vowed to get to know her the next morning. When the young maiden awoke, she felt that staying in the village was pointless, and was determined to travel to the next village. She began to pack her clothes yet again, but had no one to say goodbye to except the innkeeper, which saddened her. She approached the table where she should return the key, where in hope for his son, the innkeeper had the young prince working. He heard someone approaching and looked up, and saw Kristina walking towards him. When she got to the table he took off his hooded cloak, and she was startled by his good looks. She faltered in her action to return the key, and the young man saw his advantage and took it. He introduced himself as the innkeeper’s son, and asked Kristina if she would need an escort around the village or to the market. He knew that she would soon leave if he did not ask, but luckily she said yes.
The two could be seen all throughout the village, and soon fell in love. They planned to marry, and Henry soon revealed his true identity to Kristina. She was shocked, by had always known deep down that there was more to him than meets the eye. They married, and returned to Kristina’s home to tell her father and mother. The mother was overjoyed that her daughter had gotten so lucky that she had married the prince of the kingdom, but her joy did not last long. Soon after Kristina’s return, her mother fell ill and could not fully enjoy the riches her daughter had now gained. Her father was truly happy for his daughter, and happily accepted Henry as his son. Kristina was glad that she was able to see her animal friends again, and the new couple lived happily ever after.