Princess Glorious. Copy write P. Audcent 2014
There was a very lonely couple whose only desire was to have a child. They had everything else, a large Palace plenty of footmen and a huge kitchen and staff. But they continued to wish for a baby. Well one day it occurred and a little baby girl came into the world much to the joy of her parents and the rest of the nation who had long wanted a Prince or Princess to fill their hours with pleasure of a young child to watch from afar as he or she grew up.
Well the little baby girl was named Princess Glorious. Not Gloria but Glorious by her devoted parents and at first all went well in her upbringing as she gurgled and spat her way from nappies and bottle and being thoroughly spoilt by all who watched over her. Oh yes there were times when the little Princess could be tiresome and naughty and there were times when she was downright horrible and really naughty. Well her parents would allow no punishment until one unfortunate day a footman was damaged when a bowl of hot soup was thrown all over him by a very cross little Princess. So the Queen installed a little girl friend to stay and receive the smacks that were due to the Princess, it was hoped that Glorious would behave a little better if someone else got a swift smack for something bad she had done. But not a bit of it and eventually the little girl friend had to be sent away for a rest from all the smacks she was getting.
Princess Glorious had everything her heart desired, toys by the boxful, books by the score, any amount of toffee and sweets all beautiful packaged up then ripped open and swiftly ate. She was becoming what the staff called a right little pest so her father decided she needed to get rid of excess energy and surplus weight, so he decide a pet was needed in her life. Well a pony, the Queen suggested and the King agreed to send people into the country to buy the right animal. There had been bad times around and very few foals had been born that season, so after looking high and low a small white Shire was found, it was bought and delivered to the palace for the King and Queens inspection. The King was surprised he had wanted a pony and a small one at that, but when his daughter spotted the small Shire from her upstairs window and raced down to run and clasp the horses neck then she called him Cumberland, the situation was changed with this sudden naming so the King patted the small horse and welcomed him into the stables.
He told his daughter she had to care for the horse herself and to learn to ride him with the help of the stable lads who would fit the saddle and harness but Glorious had to keep him well brushed and healthy and well fed.
So the months past and the Princess learnt to jog then gallop throughout the countryside so people would mention how happy she had become with her own animal. But alas this did not last very long for an unhappy episode came into Glorious and Cumberland lives, and it all occurred on a simple mistake that the Princess made. She had decided she wanted to teach Cumberland to jump even though she herself had not learnt or asked someone to show her, so her first attempt astride her horse resulted in Cumberland tripping over the bar that had been set up for him to jump over. Well you can imagine what happened to the Princess as she herself was tipped off and landed heavily on her lower arm. There was an enormous to-do about the accident and and everybody pointed to the luckless horse which was immediately taken into a stall and left untended whilst Glorious was taken for treatment for a sprained wrist.
Some weeks passed and the King asked his daughter, as her wrist was mended, why she did not go riding, but Glorious replied she could not ride such a dangerous animal ever again. So the King said why did she not feed and brush the horse after all it was not the horses fault that Glorious had fallen off, but his daughter said the horse had got too fat so she couldn't sit on it properly and so she wanted a new horse and you can sell Cumberland. 'I suppose its not all those sweets you share with him that has made him a bit tubby?' But Glorious just shook her head and walked away.
Well Cumberland was sold to a local farmer who had been looking to buy a large Shire horse to pull his wagons and he was pleased to buy the small horse off the King for a lot less than he might have from an auction. But instead of bags of sweets Cumberland soon grew upwards not outwards with the proper food and before long he became very happy with his new master and his new home plus he had a lot of children to ride on his back when he came home.
Whereas Princess Glorious grew up too, soon learning other skills one of which was the piano and believe it or not she became very adept and her teachers said she should give a concert for the local folk. So it was quickly organised by the Queen her mother in case her daughter changed her mind. As the local hall did not have a piano in the hall it was decided to haul it in a cart behind the Kings coach at the day of the concert.
Alas an early winter came the following week and the Princess would not agree to a cancellation of her concert as she really wanted to show off a little bit, to make people want to like her and so on and so forth. So an afternoon was selected and broadcast to the people of the forthcoming concert and the Princess spent hours and hours with her fingering to get the best from her new friend the piano. It took seven footmen to take the piano down to the farm cart the King had borrowed then they hitched that to the back of his coach. Then both the King, Queen and the Princess came down and entered the coach, four pure black horses were then hitched to the front, finally a crack of the drivers whip started the whole thing rolling and off they went at a gentle canter.
The early winter had come with a few drops of snow but as the coach and cart reached a hill it became harder and harder to drive the horses up as they slipped and slid on the paving which, besides getting steeper, was also getting into thicker snow. Eventually the driver called a halt to the progress. He shouted down to the King they could go no further. With that Princess Glorious leapt out of the coach and ran behind the cart and using every ounce of her body tried to move the cart up the hill.
'Excuse me little one you cannot move that fat old cart by yourself, you'll need something like this.' It was the old farmer who spoke over the farm wall as he and his
children all grinned at the Princess. 'Well I suppose the children might help we must get up this hill for my concert so please come and help now.'
'No not the children I meant this.' And a large white face of a mountain of a horse came into view. 'Now this be Tom he will help pull the cart so the coach can go free.'
But something clicked in the Princesses memory, she knew that head as well as her own. 'Why' she said 'that's my Cumberland I am sure he can help.' And yes Cumberland pricked up his ears and galloped out of the farm yard to help with the cart.
Now the Princess grabbed his long neck hair and vaulted onto his back whilst the farmer attached the traces onto the cart. 'Well I never I suppose you know what you are doing young Miss.' The King had got out of the coach and watched with interest to see what was happening and he thanked the farmer for his kindness and said they would return Tom after the concert.
The concert did go very well and there were many others showing their skill on various instruments. But at the end some stayed behind to help load the piano onto the cart, but the Princess shook her head and said 'Let it stay here for you all to use. It was a gift from my parents so its mine to re-gift.'
Her mother looked surprised 'Well what will you do now. you will have no friend to play with!'
'Well Mother maybe I will go and visit the kind old farmer and re-kindle acquaintance with my Cumberland. Which she did.