LESSON 2

FACING CHALLENGES
Do wealth, power, and beauty make one proud and
mean? Find out what happened to the Princess
whose pride made her treat other people with
disdain.

READING FUN
KING THRUSHBEARD
Adapted from the Brothers Grimm Popular Tales
Once there was a king who had a beautiful
daughter, Precious. Because of her beauty, she
became haughty and proud of herself, and no suitor
was good enough for her. She turned down one
after another and made fun of them as well.
One day, the king had a great feast. He invited
all men from nearby and faraway kingdoms who
wanted to marry his daughter. They were all lined
up in a row according to rank. Kings came first,
followed by dukes, then counts, then barons, and
last all the knights of the realm.
Then the Princess, was led down the row, but
she went on finding fault with each one of them.
They were either fat or thin; too old or too young;
too short or too tall; too dark or too pale; and so
forth. However, she made fun particularly of a
young king at the head of the procession whose
chin had grown a bit crooked. He was King Justine,
but she called him Thrushbeard because he has a
chin like a throstle’s beak. Everyone heard what
she called him, and from that time on, the young
king was called Thrushbeard. But, of course, they
don’t ever say that name in his face.
The king himself was enraged at the improper
behavior of her fault- finding daughter who did
nothing but mock everyone and put to shame all
the suitors who gathered there.
“I swear, I’ll have you marry the first beggar
that comes to my door,” said the king to his
daughter.
A few days later, a wandering minstrel stated
singing under the window, hoping to get some alms.