The Chase
He did as she bade him.
Once upon a time, there was a proud prince and a romantic princess. The princess fell in love with the prince, but to her despair, he did not reciprocate. It seemed he did not love her. But the princess wanted his attention, and year after year, she twisted her efforts to this end.
One day, the princess taunted the prince. “You cannot catch me!” The proud prince took offense to this. He chased and soon caught the winded princess. She shrieked in delight. He laughed, but then it was over.
The princess wanted more. “You cannot lop of my foot,” she said, gesturing to the gleaming sword that hung from the prince’s hip. She taunted until the prince, who was initially reluctant, became heated. I will catch her, but I will not lop off her foot, he thought. He chased and he chased, and when he caught her, so caught up was he, he lopped off her foot!
This, as you might imagine, did not go over well.
The princess sobbed and called for her guardsmen. Everyone gathered round, glaring daggers at the prince, whose blade dripped royal blood.
“Explain yourself!” they said to the man.
The prince, who should have been damned to the noose, said the only thing that could possibly save him. “She wanted me to do it!” he cried. “She told me to lop off her foot!”
At that, the princess reddened. She had taunted the prince, after all. The truth was, she had not wanted her foot lopped off, but rather, her love’s attention, and a merry chase besides!
Everyone saw the princess’ complexion and grew confused. Two people stepped forward and confirmed they’d heard the princess taunt the prince into chasing her and lopping off her foot.
“That is well, then” said the crowd. Because they believed this was a matter of love, and in this, they were correct. Thus, the whole event was given the veneer of romance, and even the crimsom blood dripping fromt he princesses’ stump took on a rosy hue.
The princess was too flustered to mount a defense, and the yarn had been twisted so devileshy at this point, there was no untangling it. Bewildered, the prince watched the princesses’ guards haul her away to a medical wing, sending friendly winks and nods his way all the while.
That is the day the prince learned two valuable lessons. Firstly, that in love and all else, appearances matter more than intentions. Secondly, that given time and direction, people will come up with tales more convincing than anything you could hope to produce.
