The Princess and the Pea Maddy Blakeslee, Erin Rea, Althea Beaty

The Story There once was a prince who wanted to marry a true princess. He searched the land, but he was unsatisfied with all the girls he met. Then one day a girl came to the castle. She claimed to be a princess, but he didn't believe her. He had the servants create a tower of mattresses, underneath which he placed a single pea. In the morning, when asked if she slept well, the princess replied that she hadn't slept well at all. The prince realized that she was a true princess because only a true princess would be able to detect the pea. He married her immediately.

Heritage Swedish Few stories of this type in other cultures The Princess Who Lay on Seven Peas is a Swedish fairytale in which a girl pretends to be a princess on the advice of her cat. She is put through many tests, one of which is 7 peas under her mattress. She passes and is seen as a princess Few stories of this type in other cultures Hans Christian Andersen Popularized and changed the story, including the protrayal of the princess. In more original stories the princess is deceptive and passes the tests only because she knows there is a test going on, but in Andersen's version she is a true princess and actually feels the pea. Andersen is of Danish desent and claims to have heard the story in his childhood, but there has never been a danish version of this story found.

Summer Reading Penelope represents the woman who is the perfect wife. Even with the attention of all the suitors (mattresses), she is unable to forget Odyesseus (pea). Odysseus is always laboring to return to his perfect wife (princess). Despite the godesses who want him (other girls), he never gives up on Penelope. Odyesseus' Mother in Penelopiad is like the mother in some versions of the story. In these versions, the prince's mother is the one who doesn't believe the princess is genuine. In the Penelopiad, Odysseus' mother doesn't like Penelope, and doesn't believe she is worthy of Odysseus. Though Ada from Cold Mountain starts out as delicate and sensitve like the princess in the story, she does some what overcome her sensitivity and start to do things for herself.

Related Stories/Pop Culture La Princesa y el Guisante is the Spanish version of the Princess and the Pea. However the ending of this tale is different. Parent Trap: The soon to be step-mother in the Parent Trap emulates the Princess's delicacy. When camping she brings a blow up mattress, sleeping pills, and several cans of bugs spray. She still has a horrible night of sleep. Runaway Bride: Julia Roberts in this 1999 film is looking for "Mr. Right". She is proposed to more than several times, but is never satisfied. She leaves all the men at the alter. In the end she figures out what she wants in a guy and follows through in getting married. Bachelor: In this show the bachelor has many trials in order to find the perfect princess. These trials eliminate the girls one by one just like the mother who eliminates the Princesses who can sleep comfortably on the pea. Once Upon a Mattress: This is a Broadway Musical that is based on the Princess and the Pea. This play is extremely popular.