The princess was loved by everyone and she enjoyed wandering all over the palace, chatting with all the guards and the servants too. She particularly enjoyed visiting the kitchen because she loved the chief cook very much.
The chief cook was a plump woman with rosy cheeks and bright eyes and she always had something special for the princess to eat! She was always cheerful except when the palace cats tried to steal things from the larder. Then she would chase them out waving her rolling pin!
The princess wanted to celebrate her birthday with a party for her friends. The chief cook said that she would make all the goodies for the party. The palace hummed with activity as everyone prepared for the great celebration.
The princess went towards the kitchen the night before to see if there was anything for her to do. She peeped in and saw a strange sight. The chief cook was waving her rolling pin like a wand and pots and pans were flying through the air, getting cleaned in the sink, and arranging themselves in the cupboards and the shelves!
Suddenly the chief cook noticed the princess and smiled. “I’m an enchantress,” she admitted, “But people would think I was a witch if they saw my magic! If you keep my secret, I’ll make a special cake for you!”
The next day, there was a great party and the princess told everyone that the cake would be special. But when it came, it seemed just an ordinary cake, with not even a flower on it!
While her friends laughed at the ‘special’ cake, the princess cut it and gave a slice to each one. In her slice she saw a note that said, ‘More cake changes you back!’
As soon as she took a bite, she found wings sprouting on her back and suddenly she found she was flying around! And her friends too were flying like butterflies! Astonished and thrilled, they all flew out into the gardens and had a lovely time with their rainbow-coloured wings.
But after a while, they were tired and wanted to come down. The princess remembered the note and flew in to get another slice. With a bite each one returned to the ground as the wings vanished.
What a wonderful birthday that was! The princess ran to the kitchen and hugged the chief cook who promised her an enchanted cake on every birthday.
