Once upon a time, in a cottage near a forest, lived Marco and his wife, Mooney. They had two daughters: Jenna, Marco's daughter, and Clara, Mooney's daughter. Jenna was kind and beautiful, while Clara was bitter and less attractive. However, Mooney, blinded by envy, believed Clara to be the prettier of the two.
.jpg "bedtime stories to read online free") |
| bedtime stories to read online free |
bedtime stories to read online free
One day, Marco asked Jenna to come with him into the forest to chop wood. They worked hard all day despite the torrential rain. By the time they returned home, they were soaking wet. Marco realized that he forgot his axe behind and was afraid if it lay all night in the mud, it would become rusty and useless.
"Dear, I left my axe in the forest. Could you ask Clara to fetch it? Jenna is wet and weary."
"No, my daughter will catch a cold. Your daughter can go; she's wet already. I'm sure she can withstand more."
Marco knew it was useless to argue. He also knew his plea would fall upon deaf ears. He turned to Jenna.
"Jenna, I feel terrible asking you, but my knees hurt. You must go back for the axe, my dear."
"Yes, Father. I know. You rest up; I will go fetch the axe. I better pick up my pace in this salty rain; the blade of the axe will corrode faster."
Finally, she reached the spot where the axe was left. She found it, but to her surprise, three little doves were sitting on the handle looking sad.
"What are you doing here, getting damp in this rain, you tiny little doves? Go back to your nest. Here, first have some breadcrumbs I saved for my dinner. It will energize you. Don't you fret, little doves, but I better get going. If I don't get back home in time, my stepmom will get livid. Goodbye."
Jenna picked up her axe and started walking back home. Meanwhile, the doves regained their strength. The three little doves were grateful for the girl's kindness.
"That is a good girl. I really was too weak to stretch out my wings before she came. As a token of thanks, let's give her a wreath of flowers that will never fade as long as she wears it and let the tiniest singing birds in the world sit amongst the flowers."
"Yes, that will do beautifully."
Marco had never seen his daughter looking so lovely.
"How absurd to walk about on such a pouring night dressed up like that!" Mooney crudely pulled off the wreath and placed it on Clara's head. The roses wilted and the doves flew out of the window.
"See what a trumped-up thing it is now! Take your supper and go to bed."
Now it so happened that the next evening too, Marco, who had been toiling all day, forgot his axe yet again. But this time, Mooney's heart leaped at the opportunity to send her daughter into the forest.
"Your daughter shall stay at home and mine shall go and bring it back."
free online bedtime stories
Clara trudged through the forest with resentment.
"This is ridiculous! Why do I have to do everything? Ugh, those stupid doves. I wish I had that wreath, but I don't want to go through all the trouble to get it. I can't believe I walked in this stupid rain to get here. You dirty creatures, get away from there!"
The three doves huddled together, plotting their revenge on the rude girl.
.jpg "free online bedtime stories") |
| free online bedtime stories |
"What shall we do to avenge ourselves? We were never treated like that before. We must find some way of paying her back in her own coin."
"I know! She shall never be able to say anything but 'dirty creatures' for the rest of her life."
"Oh, how clever of you! That will do beautifully."
The doves flapped their wings and clucked with delight as their magic would seal Clara's mouth and fate. Clara stormed back into the cottage; her anger was palpable.
"Well, did you get the wreath?"
"Dirty creatures!"
"Don't speak to me like that. What do you mean, 'dirty creatures'? What's wrong with her?"
Then Mooney saw that something evil had transpired and turned her rage to Jenna.
"You wretched girl! I know you were behind all this. Tell me, what did you do to her?"
"Nothing! What happened? I was home all evening."
"Stop with your filthy lies and tell me this instant!"
"No, you have to believe me, Mom. I would never; she is my sister."
"You are at the bottom of this, I just know it!"
This interrogation went on for a bit and broke Jenna down to tears. Marco had gone out of town, and Mooney timed her verbal assault to the T, hurling accusations and insults at poor Jenna. The next day, in her father's absence, Jenna went to work, and the doves, upon seeing her, happily placed the wreath on her head again. If the poor girl's life had been miserable before, it was worse now. Mooney tormented her; her fury was heightened by the sight of the wreath.
"Look at her with that silly wreath on her head! She thinks she's so special. Dirty creatures, dirty creatures! She's nothing but a burden to us."
Things went on like this for some time. One day, as the king's son was riding through the forest, he heard some strange birds singing more sweetly than birds had ever sung before.
"She's beautiful. Excuse me, miss, may I speak with you?"
"Hello there. Who are you, and who gave you that wreath of singing roses?"
"I'm Jenna. I live in a hut on the edge of the forest. As for the wreath, I know not how it came here unless it may be the gift of some doves whom I fed when they were starving."
The prince was delighted by her answer and impressed by the goodness of her heart.
"You have a kind heart, Jenna. Will you come with me to the palace and become my bride?"
"I—I would be honored, my lord."
"Then it's settled. We shall have a splendid wedding feast."
The day after her marriage, the bride sent a messenger bearing handsome presents to her father and telling him of the good fortune which had befallen her. As for Mooney and Clara, they were so filled with envy that they grew quite ill and had taken to their beds. Mooney concocted a devious plan to seek revenge on Jenna.
"We must seek the help of the old witch in town. She can make you a mask of Jenna's duplicate face."
"Dirty creatures!"
Bedtime story for Kids
"I seek your assistance, wise witch."
"I can make you a mask so lifelike few will be able to tell the difference. But when your daughter wears the mask for the first time, she should pretend to have a toothache and cover her head with a green lace veil."
.jpg "Bedtime story for Kids") |
| Bedtime story for Kids |
"Thank you. Your help is much appreciated."
Word was out that a great hunt was planned and the prince would leave the palace early the next morning, leaving his wife alone all day. This was a chance not to be missed.
"I'm so glad you could come. Let bygones be bygones. Please take these beautiful gifts with you."
"Now's the time. Rest your cheek on your hand as if you were in pain and remember, don't speak."
"My dearest wife, what is the matter with you? Tell me, is the pain bad?"
He bombarded her with concern, desperate to understand her suffering.
"I must summon all the court physicians to apply soothing balms to the sore place."
"Dirty creatures!"
"What? What did you just say?"
"Get some rest. You'll feel much better in the morning."
Unable to sleep, the prince gazed out of the window.
"That maiden, she strangely looks like my wife."
The prince, still puzzled by his wife's condition, decided to summon the court physicians for help.
"I'll call the physician to attend to you."
"Dirty creatures! Dirty creatures!"
"Please apologize to them. We need their help."
But the princess remained silent, unwilling to speak or explain her behavior. That night, the prince twisted and turned on the bed in nostalgia and guilt.
"How could a quiet, gentle girl who had been so charming a companion to me during our first days of marriage suddenly become, in a day, this rude, sulky woman who can't even control her temper even to benefit herself?"
"She needs you. She needs your help. Break the spell, prince. Wake up to the shore. She waits."
A jolt awakened the prince. His gaze immediately darted to the window, hoping to see Jenna outside.
"Wait! Please wait for me. I'm coming!"
The prince rushed to the shore where he had seen the apparition, and this time he tightly grabbed her hand.
"You are my own wife, the love of my life, and I shall never let you go."
"No, hold on! I won't let the spell deceive me."
The brave prince's love persevered, and the witch's spell was broken.
"Jenna, you're back. No, wait, if you're here with me, then who's in there? Tell me, Jenna, who did this to you?"
"It was Clara, my sister, jealous of my happiness. Mooney, her mom, pushed me in the water and stole my cloak. The doves came to my rescue and kept me afloat, but your courage broke the spell, my prince."
"Dirty creatures! Dirty creatures!"
"If it were up to me, you would be incarcerated for life, but my wife's kindness has saved you."
Clara was shown mercy by Jenna and was put on a horse and sent to a faraway land in exile that very night.
"Dirty creatures! I love you."
"I love you more."
And from that day onward, the prince and princess Jenna, the real princess Jenna, lived happily ever after.