Princess Gertie – The Finale!

Charm School – Day Nine

We were almost done. We all came to school on day nine, a little tired from all the cleaning the day before. It was nice to see that my perfect classmates weren’t always so perfect, especially when they didn’t get enough sleep.

“Good Morning class. In the beginning of school we talked about the very important rules. Today we will cover one more and that is:

A smile on your face should always be had

Whether your day has been good or bad.

You must always be cheery and bright

In the early morning until late at night.”

I knew I could challenge this rule! “Why do we always have to be happy? You aren’t always happy Princess Penelope, especially when I am asking questions, then you look really grumpy. What if we meet a wicked witch, do we have to be nice to her? What if we tried to sleep at night but there was a pea under our mattresses and we couldn’t sleep because we were so uncomfortable? Don’t laugh,” I told her, “it happened to a friend of mine. What if we meet some man who can spin straw into gold but he wants our first baby in return and he is really mean to us? Do we have to be happy then?”

”YES!” Princess Penelope said, “You always have to have a smile and be happy. Because that is just what princesses do!”

I told her that she shouldn’t grind her teeth together so much; she would ruin her smile. She didn’t think I was funny.

Charm School – Day Ten

Finally it was the last day of school. I was going to try and show how much I had learned. I pinned up my hair as neat as you please. I even put a bow in it.  I put on my frilliest dress and my little glass slippers. I wore my biggest smile and I went to class.

Princess Penelope smiled at me. I liked that.

”Okay young ladies, the last and most important rule of being a princess is this, pay close attention now,

Once you have met the prince of your dreams,

Show him how much his true love means.

Listen sweetly to his every word

Obey every command no matter how absurd.”

Princess Penelope smiled at us. She had done her best and she was sure we had learned everything we needed to know about being a princess. Only I didn’t really think so. I didn’t like that last rule, not one little bit.

I raised my hand. Princess Penelope just looked at me. All of the other princesses looked at me. “BECAUSE THAT IS JUST WHAT PRINCESSES DO!” they all said together.

I was mad. I was really mad. Can you believe they taught this junk? Someone should say something.  I stood up, but I caught the hem of my gown on my chair and I fell over. I told you those things were dangerous. I climbed up on top of my desk. I ripped the bow out of my hair, and some of my hair with it, ouch! I stomped my foot and cracked my glass slipper. It cut my toe.

“Princesses should not have to wear silly dresses that get in the way or wear their hair so long that they trip over it. Princesses should not have to kiss a frog because it is disgusting. Or go into the woods because they could get lost or eaten by a dragon. And they should not have to clean anyone’s house unless they want to. They should not have to wear dangerous slippers.” I held up my bleeding toe for effect. “Princesses are not always happy, they should feel however they want to feel. They should ever accept gifts from strangers. They could get hurt. We should be able to stay away from beasts and dragons. AND MOST OF ALL,” I shouted, “Princesses should not have to do all this to marry some dumb old prince and even if she does, she should not have to do everything he says!”

I was done. I was going to sit down but then something happened, something wonderful. All of the other princesses stood on their desks too. They all stomped their feet in support. The only problem was; those darn glass slippers cut every one of them. Princess Penelope had to get out the first aid kit and bandage all of our feet. After that she looked at me and said,

“Princesses should never throw temper tantrums. You are EXPELLED!” Then she wrote a long note home to my mom and dad.

I thought my mom and dad were going to be super mad. I thought they were going to go crazy and banish me to the dungeons forever. I thought they were going to say, “Princess Gertrude who?” But they didn’t. They just shook their heads sadly. Then, they told me I had to go and explain it to the Queen all by myself.

I was scared, Queen Bea was my grandma, but she was still the ruler of the land. As soon as she saw my face, she knew something was wrong. Queen Bea had her royal guard pull up the tiny throne that was made just for me. She ordered the royal cook to bring milk in cookies in our special cups and then she told me to tell her the whole sad story. When I was done, the Queen did not get mad. She didn’t tell me to move to another land or threaten to lock me in the dungeon. Instead, my Grandma hugged me tight and she said, “You learned the most important thing about being a princess. Never change who you are. Princesses must always be themselves.” Grandmas rock!

And I was happy, because being yourself is just what Princesses do!