The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas By Tony Wilson and illustrated by Sue deGennaro Page 1 Half

title page Page 2/3 Imprint and title page Page 4/5 Once upon a time there was a prince called Henrik who wanted very much to fall in love and get married. He was an outdoorsy type, and hoped that the princess he married would like hockey and camping. He was an outdoorsy type, and hoped that the princess he married would like hockey and camping. Page 6/7 There were But many girls who wantedwant to marry a prince. Every time Henrik left the palace, groups of screaming girlscrowds would yellholler Oh my goodness, its him! and throw flowers in his general direction. Many of them were very beautiful. Henrik was worried that he would make a bad decision. He decided he would ask his brother , Prince Hans for some advice. Page 8/9 The most important thing is to make sure she is a real princess, Prince Hans said. A real princess is very beautiful and very sensitive. When I met my wife, Princess Eva, I madeset up the guest bedroom with a stack of twenty mattresses and twenty eiderdowns. Then I put a single pea under the bottom mattress. If a girl complainsMy theory was that if she complained about feeling the pea through the mattressall those mattresses and eiderdowns, she must be a real princess. Did Princess Eva she complain, Prince Henrik asked. You bet - she , Prince Hans nodded. She complained a lot. Said Prince Hans Page 10/11 And thats good? Prince Henrik said.

Well it means shes a real princess, his brother replied. The pea kept her awake. It means shes sensitive.

Prince Henrik wanted to know more. He decided to secretly watch Princess Eva to see what a real, sensitive princess was like. He found her at the palace tennis court, and she was being sensitive about the tennis balls. (text bubble:[Text box] These tennis balls are too bouncy!) I cant hit them! He followed her to the castle tower and she was being sensitive about the banister rail.

[text box] Could one of you lazy sods polish this banister rail! I cant see my reflection. He followed her to the driveway and she was being sensitive about her new sports car. (text bubble:box] This isnt the carmodel I wanted! I wanted one with drink holders. And yellow!) Page 12/13 Princess Eva was certainly very sensitive. The more Prince Henrik saw the more he wondered whether perhaps he wanted to marry a real princess.

[thought box] I wonder whether Princess Eva was isnt perhaps a little too sensitive. Page 14/15 Prince Henrik decided heWhen he saw Princess Eva yell at Prince Hans because he was wearing a tie that clashed with her ball gown, he made up his mind. He didnt want to marry a real princess like Princess Eva. He wanted to marry the exact opposite.

She didnt have to be that beautiful or sensitive.. She just had to like hockey and camping and have a nice smile. Page 16/17 And so Prince Henrik came up with a plan. Whenever a girlprincess came to stay, he offered to make up the guest room. Instead of twenty mattresses, Henrik foundused one thin camping mattress. Instead of twenty eiderdowns, Henrik found one old sleeping bag. And instead of aone single pea, the prince decided to use a whole packet of frozen peas. Page 18/19 The test was this. Every time a princess visited, Henrik would sneak into the guest room and hide the packet of frozen peas under the thin mattress. He figured that if the girl didnt mention the frozen peas, it meant she wasnt too sensitive like Princess Eva and probably would quite like camping.

Many young girlsbeauties visited, but none passed the test. [Text boxes] You wont believe this. I found peas in my bed. There was this cold wet bag under the mattress. I couldnt sleep at all! Thereall, there was a this massive lump underin the mattress.bed. Whats the deal with the frozen packetthis freezer pack of peas? Page 20/21 Then one morning,One afternoon, Henriks old school friend Pippa came to stay. at the palace. They had a great day - riding horses, playing hockey, and spying on Princess Eva as she complained about everything in the palace.who was out at the clothes line, complaining as usual. Page 22/23

[Text box] The whites arent white enough and that the colours arent bright enough!

If shes a real princess.princess, Henrik joked, I want to marry the opposite. An un-real princess. Henrik and Pippa laughed. For the first time, Henrik noticed what a lovely laugh she had.how pretty his old friend was. Page 24/25 That night he decided to test her with the packet of frozen peas. Page 26/27 The followingnext morning Henrik satwas sitting in the corridor outside the guest room. He waited and waited. Page 28/29 Finally Pippa emerged, yawning. How did you sleep?sleep, he asked Henrik.nervously. Fantastically well, thank you, said Pippa, handing She then handed him a the packet of mushynow not-so-frozen peas. I found thesesome peas under the mattress last night. It was the actually just perfect icepack.. I had a bit of a sore shin from playingsoreness as a result of the hockey.hockey, and so I used the frozen peas as an ice-pack. It was a stroke of luck. Page 30/31 The prince Prince beamed.

Pippa beamed back. She had a lovely gap between her two front teeth. Will you marry me? the Prince asked Prince Henrik.. Pippa looked shocked. But Im not a real princess, Pippa answered.

That doesnt matter, Henrik replied. Youll be an unreal princess, said Henrik.princess. Page 32 Henrik and Pippa putting up a tent. Really? she said handing back the peas.

{last page - image of wedding, peas being thrown instead of confetti]

Really.