Once upon a time a long time ago, there lived a king and queen of a great kingdom. They had one daughter. Like any parent, they did not want their child to suffer. But unlike most parents these two had the power and the money to achieve their aim. They had a huge wall built and their daughter grew up within these grounds. All the servants and visitors were required to be happy and positive at all times. The Princes was blissfully happy. Everyone loved her – they were paid to.
One day, on the cusp of adulthood, the Princess became curious and found her way onto the streets. The suffering she saw there overwhelmed her. She wanted to make it all better. Her parents tried to tell her that these people were used to their way of life – they were mostly lazy or brutalised and would not appreciate her warm and caring heart. However to please her they gave her a generous allowance which she spent on the poor. The poor were very grateful.
However, some time later, an arthritic old man seeing the warmth in her eyes decided to tell her the real problem. Her parents. It was they who were the main employers in the area – they paid low wages and charged high taxes. She went home immediately and told her parents his accusation.
The old man was brought before the court tried and summarily executed for treason.
The Princess never left the castle grounds again. She married, had many children and lived happily ever after.
Susie Stead 2014
Falling Awake to Life - Through Story, Myth and Mindfulness 