Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived with her father, the King. A wizard who was jealous of the King kidnapped the princess and imprisoned her on an island far away. The island was guarded by a sea monster who was very cruel.
“You can only be rescued when a brave prince comes to your aid,” said the wizard as he left her there.
For a few days, the princess was very sad. There was no one with whom she could share her troubles and there seemed no way to get out of the island either.
‘The wizard said a brave prince would save me,’ thought the princess, ‘But how will the prince know that I am a captive on this island?’
The princess decided she must find some way to let the prince know that she was there on the island. She began to make flags and banners out of the leaves and waved them. One day, she made a tall tower out of the sand. She sang on the beach. She dug tunnels to go to the different parts of the island. Often, she climbed up trees to look for boats or ships. She even made a bonfire one night.
But the ugly green monster who guarded the island was always alert. He would come out every day and try to destroy all her work. He would shake the trees that the princess climbed, tear up the flags, stamp out bonfires and sand castles.
After a few weeks, it seemed like a game. The princess would try some new means to send messages or escape and the monster would come out and spoil all her efforts. Meeting every day and having this game of out-witting each other led to a strange friendship between the princess and the monster. If the princess did not try any method of escape, the monster would come and provoke her. If the monster failed to come, the princess would stand on the shore and call to him. They had become friends.
The princess had quietly been making a raft on which to sail away from the island. She used the pieces of wood and the creepers that she found there. However, when it was ready, the monster discovered it.
“You will escape on this tomorrow, won’t you?” said the monster sadly, looking at the raft. He didn’t break it up, but swam back into the sea. The next morning, the princess sat beside her raft on the shore, waiting for the monster. But there was no sign of him. She called him repeatedly till he appeared.
“Why haven’t you gone?” the monster asked. “I was waiting for you,” replied the princess, “Did you think I’d go alone, leaving my friend behind?”
“You don’t really want me to come along with you, do you?” he asked in amazement, coming up to the raft.
“Of course, I want you to come with me! I’m not leaving without you!” she laughed, giving him a big hug.
Suddenly, she found that she was hugging a handsome prince, not the monster! He laughed back at her.
“Do you remember what the wizard said about a brave prince rescuing you? Here I am!”
Instantly, a beautiful ship arrived and the prince took the princess to his palace where they were married and lived happily ever after.
