pp. 2-3 I wanna talk about the story of the Princess and the Pea.There's lots about princesses here that makes no sense to me. So a princess turns up soaking wet, bangs on the castle door, The prince's mother lets her in. She can't sleep on the floor. One pea, then twenty mattresses are piled up in a heap: It's a test to see if "princess" here can feel it in her sleep. We're meant to think a princess is so sensitive and soft That a single pea can wake her? Don't make me laugh my head off! pp. 4-5 You know what really happened here? This canny girl said "What Are all those mattresses piled up for? Has the Queen gone off her nut?" So she looked and found the pea and worked out why they put it there And then pretended in the morning: "Didn't sleep a wink, I swear!" That must have been what happened, since the story as it's told Is too stupid to believe: so this girl comes in from the cold Where she's walked for miles and battled storms to reach the castle gate Yet when she's tucked up warm and cosy, just one pea keeps her awake? Please don't call me Princess.
That's not what I want to be. I'd rather sleep just anywhere and not bruise easily. pp. 6-7 Another sleeping princess here. Her name is Sleeping Beauty. If you found the last tale strange, well, this one's absolutely loopy. The girl is cursed. She pricks her thumb.
She swiftly falls asleep. A tangled, thorny hedge grows up around the castle keep. Then one hundred years later - that's a very long time, mind, A prince hacks his way through it, and we're meant to think he's kind. OK, let's see what happens next, and let's identify What he does wrong, 'cause really, I'm not sure about this guy. pp. 8-9 If you find someone asleep, and she has been like that for years You could maybe whisper "Please wake up!" quite gently in her ears. If that won't work, give her a shake, or even try a shout. But you've never even met her SO DON'T KISS HER ON THE MOUTH! Here's how this story should end: Beauty wakes up with a yell "Hey! Who are you? Don't kiss me! I don't know you! And you smell!" "But don't I get to marry you? I'd like to be the king.
" "No! The only men I need right now are good at gardening." I don't want to be a Princess. You can keep your crown of gold. And I won't be wanting marriage when I'm one hundred years old. pp. 28-29 People call me "Princess" any time I wear a dress. They ask me if I like it and expect me to say "yes". Why is it always "Princess"? What could they say instead If they stopped looking at my body and they thought about my head? Call me "Astronaut" or "Journalist" or "Carpenter" or "Teacher" Or "Counsellor" or "Play Worker" or "Brain Surgeon" or "Preacher".
Women do all kinds of things while wearing lovely clothes. But please don't call me Princess, cos I'm never one of those. My mom is not a Queen, you see. My dad is not a King. Instead of being a Princess, I CAN BE ANYTHING! pp. 30-31 The stories that we tell ourselves affect us powerfully. They shape our world and tell us who we are, and how to be. And we can rewrite stories.
Easy. Jumble up the letters. We don't have to tell the old ones. Take a pen and make them better. Girls can be the heroes. Women can be strong. In this hour, find your power, and let's really right some wrongs. I'm not waiting for Prince Charming, scared I'll end up on the shelf.
I'll write my own happy ending. And I think I'll save myself. The End.