Princess Poppy and the Pig – Read and Print

By Rachel Dunstan Muller, copyright 2021

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Princess Poppy was a very spoiled princess. All she had to do was twitch her little finger, and servants would come running from every corner of the palace. “Oh, your highness, is your soup too hot? Are your toes too cold? Is the sun too bright? Are the birds too loud?”

Every day it was the same.

Now, there were lots of things in the palace to keep Princess Poppy busy. She could have tea in the royal garden, or play croquet on the royal lawn. She could slide down the royal bannisters, or count books in the royal library.

But every now and then, Princess Poppy would get bored. And when Princess Poppy got bored, she would snap her fingers and say “I want a parade.”

Well, every man, woman and child in the palace knew what that meant. It meant that it was time to drop whatever they were doing and to take their place in the royal procession in front of the palace. Then off they would go – across the moat, down the royal drive, and out into the kingdom. The youngest servants would walk at the front of the procession – blowing horns and ringing bells to let everyone know the procession was coming. The older servants were next, waving bright banners and flags. Then came the royal guards, some marching and some on horseback. Then finally came the royal carriage, with the princess herself.

Everywhere they went, the road was lined with people waving and cheering for Princess Poppy. Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Princess Poppy was so spoiled, that they didn’t actually have a choice. You see, in Princess Poppy’s kingdom, it was the law. If you didn’t come running to cheer the princess when she went past? Well, then something dreadful would happen! The royal guards would come to your house and dig up all your potatoes, or pick all your flowers, or paint your windows purple and orange! No, you certainly didn’t want to get in trouble with the royal guard.  

But one afternoon as the royal procession was making its way across the countryside, the royal carriage came to an abrupt stop. There was a pig blocking the road, a great big pig wallowing in the middle of a great big mud puddle.

“Go on, shoo!” said the servants at the front.

“Snort” said the pig, and stayed where she was.

The young servants blew their horns and rang their bells as loud as they could.

“Snort” said the pig, and she settled even more happily in the muck.

The older servants came forward next, yelling and shouting and waving their banners.

“Snort,” said the pig, and still she didn’t move.

Next it was the royal guards. They poked and prodded that poor pig, they yelled and waved and jumped up and down until they were red in the face.

And the pig? “Snort,” she said. Then slowly, slowly, very slowly, the pig stood up. But she didn’t leave the road. Instead she plopped right back down again, so fast that the mud puddle sprayed all over the younger servants, and all over the older servants, and all over the royal guards, too.

Just then Princess Poppy peered out of the royal carriage. “What in my kingdom’s name is going on?” she said.

“Nothing to worry about, your highness,” said her chief guard.

But it was too late. Princess Poppy was already climbing down the steps of her royal carriage and onto the road.

Princess Poppy turned and stared at the pig – and the pig stared back. Now, I’m not exactly sure why, but when the pig saw the princess, she began to squeal and shiver and shiver and squeal – like she’d just laid eyes on a long lost sister.  Then the pig stood up. But this time she didn’t plop back down in the mud. This time she started running – straight towards the very startled princess. She ran so fast that she knocked Princess Poppy right onto her royal derriere – that is to say, her royal bum.

Well, all the servants and all the guards were shocked – but before they could come to Princess Poppy’s rescue, the pig squealed some more, and began to nuzzle the princess with her snout, and lick her all over like a giant puppy, until – until to everyone’s amazement, Princess Poppy . . . began to giggle. It was just a little giggle at first, but then she threw back her head, and she began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh some more. No one had ever seen the Princess quite so happy! It was a very strange and wonderful moment.

Well, I’m delighted to say that that was the beginning of a very special friendship. Princess Poppy purchased the pig from the farmer who owned her, and the pig traveled back to the palace in the royal carriage. Princess Poppy named her pet pig ‘Penelope’ – and together they shared many adventures. Penelope was an excellent influence on Poppy, who became quite a pleasant princess once she had her own special friend.   

But that’s what they say about good friends, isn’t it? They bring out the best in us. Here’s to good friends!

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