It was this time that the princess realized that she had a very special gift. She didn't notice it at first because she thought that it was a very normal thing to have.... a voice that could sing!
One Christmas, she was asked to sing in church for they had put up the Christmas pageant for all the parishioners to see. She really enjoyed helping out with the props and things, but they needed someone to sing along in one of the songs with the choir. The little princess hesitated as she felt that she would not do a good job...the queen has always commented that she has never seem to do anything right. She was so fearful that she kept shaking her head saying, "No! Let someone else who's better do it!". The lady in charge of the choir took the princess aside and said, "Give it a try...if you don't like the song...you don't have to sing it". So the little princess walked up to the front slowly as the music floated down gently from the choir loft.
The choir looked kindly at the little princess as if to encourage her to start. She closed her eyes as she listened for the cue to start singing. From within her soul came a voice...so sudden and clear! She sang as if there was no day or night.... her voice was very different this time. She forgot the crowd before her and sang in praise of the glory of the newborn King. When she finished, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the people in front of her...they were smiling and clapping furiously.
The little princess had never felt so happy in her whole life. This gift meant more to her than her life, because she saw that through her singing, the people saw the love and joy again being mirrored in her soft brown eyes...she could smile again! It was then that she found her love for singing...it was this singing for her God and her friends that brought the sparkle back into those windows of her soul. From this day forth, she blossomed slowly but surely from a sad and reserved girl into someone who was always ready with a smile and a listening ear for all who encounter her. It was a most enriching experience for the little princess to be amongst such simple and kind folk.
The long and lonely nights became unbearable for the queen who missed the king so badly that it drove her to seek solace in the arms of another man, a tax collector from the nearby village! It was difficult for the princess to understand what the queen was going through at this point in time, she was very confused and angry with the queen for not 'loving' the king any more. So the little princess decided that she was not going to let any other man take the place of her beloved king. Each time the tax collector came to visit the queen, she would always give him an icy-cold reception.
It was late one night when the little princess woke up suddenly and realized that the queen had not returned home, she became rather upset and confused. She walked out of the cottage in her thin and shabby nightclothes into the warm darkness outside. She knew where she was heading...the same place she would always go whenever she was unhappy.
The long and lonely nights became unbearable for the queen who missed the king so badly that it drove her to seek solace in the arms of another man, a tax collector from the nearby village! It was difficult for the princess to understand what the queen was going through at this point in time, she was very confused and angry with the queen for not 'loving' the king any more. So the little princess decided that she was not going to let any other man take the place of her beloved king. Each time the tax collector came to visit the queen, she would always give him an icy-cold reception.
It was late one night when the little princess woke up suddenly and realized that the queen had not returned home, she became rather upset and confused. She walked out of the cottage in her thin and shabby nightclothes into the warm darkness outside. She knew where she was heading...the same place she would always go whenever she was unhappy.
As she approached the marble lady, she looked longingly at the praying figure as if she was expecting St Teresa to look up from praying to smile at her. The little princess stood beneath the statue as her eyes grew more and more misty. She started to pray in a very soft voice, "Help me....St Teresa! I don't know what to do... I really hate mother because she only cares about her needs. I just want you to ask God if he can do something to make that man go away from us, and make my family whole again!" She sighed sadly as she rested her head lightly upon the feet of the marble lady.
Once again she was all alone. Silence filled the night with such sweet sorrows!
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