The Magic Mirror

Once upon a time, in the city of Granada, there lived a king. He was a very
great ruler loved by all of his people, but there was something missing in his
life. King James did not have a wife. One day, the king sent his royal messenger
out to tell the entire kingdom about his search for his one true love.

Of course, every single woman in all the land wanted a chance to be the next
queen, but the messenger wasn't going to make it that easy. “Before any
woman is able to meet the king, she must take a look at herself in my magic
mirror,” he proclaimed. This mirror was a magic one because it did not reflect
a person's outside image, but what was really on the inside. “If you look into
my mirror and your beautiful face is covered in spots, I will be able to tell your
true character,” cried the messenger.

After hearing this, no woman was brave enough to step up and look at herself
in the mirror. Each woman had a different excuse, although she was secretly
waiting for another woman to go first. Weeks passed, and not a single maiden
looked at herself in the magic mirror. The king began to grow discouraged.
“Will I never find true love?!” He cried as he slept all alone in his castle.

“Sir, I have a suggestion,” said the messenger to the king one lonely day. “I
know of a woman who would not be afraid to look into my mirror, because she
is the purest of heart. The only problem is she is a poor shepherdess, too low-
born to be suitable for a queen!” “I do not care, bring her to me!” cried King
James. “If she is honest enough to look in the mirror, she is honest enough to
be my queen.”

The very next day, the messenger brought back a beautiful young shepherdess
from beyond the mountains. She was told of the mirror and its powers, yet she
showed no fear. She looked into the mirror and not a single spot appeared.
She was the one. The king had found his queen!
The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and the entire kingdom was in
attendance. After the reception, the king's messenger had an announcement
for the crowd. “I have a confession to make. The magic mirror in which none of
you dared to look was not actually magic at all.” The women in the room were
appalled. “It did not need to be magic though. The woman who had the most
confidence in herself in being pure and good was the one best fit to be queen.
As for the rest of you, you may want to think next time you make a decision
that will reflect poorly upon your character.”

And with that, the new king and queen lived happily ever after. The bad
women of Granada, however, did not.