The Princess And The Pea Short Story & Audiobook
A bedraggled maiden turns up at the King’s castle and the Prince thinks she might be a Princess. But how will they know for sure?
The Princess And The Pea
In a land far far away there was a glorious kingdom. In the kingdom stood a great castle. And inside the castle lived a handsome Prince.
The Prince was sad.
He longed for a true Princess to share his castle and kingdom, but he couldn't find one.
This was not because there was a lack of Princesses. In fact, the kingdom was full of fair maidens all claiming to be Princesses.
The Prince scoured the kingdom, meeting every one of these so-called Princesses. But he returned sad and empty handed.
“It is impossible to tell whether these are true Princesses!” he said to his Father, the King.
“You must be patient my son. You will know when you know” said the King, with a knowing smile.
The Prince smiled back, then went to his chamber.
That evening a huge storm came.
Thunder clapped. Lightning flashed. And the rain clattered down on the castle roof like the sound of a thousand horses charging into battle.
Suddenly, came a loud knock at the castle door. The King put on his robe and opened the door to find a cold, soggy young lady standing in front of him.
“I am a true Princess,” she said, “Please can I have some dry clothes and a bed for the night?”
The King let her in.
“She says she is a true Princess,” said the King to the old Queen-mother.
The Queen-mother didn’t say a word.
Instead, she thought to herself, “We’ll soon see about that”. She then handed the Princess a nightgown and said, “put this on while I prepare your chamber.”
The Queen-mother began preparing the chamber—but in a very peculiar way.
First, she took the covers, sheets and mattress off the bed.
Then she placed a single garden pea on the bedstead.
And then she laid twenty mattresses on top of the pea taking care to separate each layer with a soft eiderdown quilt.
After this she replaced the bedclothes on the top mattress and said to the Princess, “Your chamber is ready!”
The bed was now so high off the ground that the Princess needed to climb a ladder to get into the bed. So the Princess climbed up the ladder, got under the covers and blew out her candle.
At breakfast the next morning the Queen-mother turned to the Princess and asked, “My dear Princess, how did you sleep?”
“Oh, not at all well,” said the Princess. “I mean to say, I am extremely grateful for your kindness in putting me up for the night, but there seemed to be something ever so hard and uncomfortable under my mattress. I didn’t sleep a wink.”
“My my!” replied the Queen-mother, “is that so?”
The Queen-mother turned to the Prince and said, “I believe we have found your true Princess, for none but a true Princess possesses such a delicate sense to feel a single pea through twenty mattresses and twenty of my finest quilts. You must wed immediately!”
The Prince was overjoyed.
He turned to the Princess and said, “Dear Princess, would you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?”
She blushed, then taking a moment to finish a mouthful of cereal, said, “On one condition.”
“Anything!” replied the Prince.
She looked at the Prince with a cheeky grin and said, “That you promise, dear Prince, that from this day forward any pea that should enter this castle is simply for eating. And not for sleeping upon.”
The Prince looked back at her, chuckled and said, “I promise!”
The End
Can you read the Princess And The Pea story for free?
Yes! You can read Princess And The Pea story for free at Sooper Books. All of our stories have been written by our professional writers and have modern illustrations.
Is this story read aloud?
You can listen to The Princess and the Pea and hundreds more audio stories on our Audio App, or choose to read it yourself!
How many mattresses are there?
In the Princess And The Pea there are 20 mattresses and 20 quilts. Would you be able to notice a pea under 20 mattresses and 20 quilts?
What is the moral of the Princess And The Pea?
The Princess And The Pea moral is to not judge a person by their appearance. After being deceived by many fair maidens claiming to be Princesses, the prince and his mother were suspicious when a young, cold and soggy girl turned up at their doorstep seeking some dry clothes and a bed for the night. It transpired that their initial impression of the young girl was wrong and she was in fact a princess. After all, princesses can get soggy in the rain too!
What is the story summary?
This story is about a young princess who gets caught in a storm. She finds a castle and seeks warmth and a bed. The Queen mother and the prince are suspicious of the young woman as she doesn’t look like a princess at all. Nevertheless they decide to let her in. The queen mother comes up with a plan to test the young girl and find out if she really is a princess. She creates the most comfortable bed with 20 mattresses and 20 quilts, and to test whether the young girl is a princess or not she hides one pea at the bottom of the bed. If the young girl is indeed a princess she will undoubtedly feel it. Low and behold the young girl sleeps terribly. The queen is thrilled and tells the prince to marry her straight away!
Is this story a fairy tale?
Yes, this is a fairy tale originally written by Hans Christian Andersen. This story was first written in 1835 and has since been retold many times and is a firm favourite for bedtime stories today. The Sooper Books retelling stays close to the original storyline and we’ve modernised the illustrations.
Why is The Princess and the Pea still a favourite bedtime story?
This timeless tale continues to captivate children because of its whimsical nature and unique twist on the classic princess story. The idea of a tiny pea causing such a fuss under a towering stack of mattresses is both funny and intriguing, making it a wonderful bedtime read. Its lighthearted tone, royal setting, and playful mystery keep little imaginations engaged, while its message about looking beyond first impressions gives it lasting appeal.
What makes The Princess and the Pea different from other fairy tales?
Unlike many classic fairy tales, this story doesn’t have an evil villain or a dangerous quest. Instead, it’s about perception, sensitivity, and proving one’s true nature in a clever way. Rather than fighting dragons or breaking spells, the princess’s challenge is as simple—and strange—as a tiny pea.
Why did the Queen test the princess with a pea?
In many fairy tales, princesses are portrayed as delicate and refined. The Queen believed that only a real princess would have such incredible sensitivity that she could notice something as small as a pea beneath all those mattresses. But was this a fair test? That’s a great question to discuss with your child—would they have come up with a different way to tell if someone was truly royal?
What is the key lesson in The Princess and the Pea?
At its core, this story teaches children about looking beyond first impressions. The Queen and Prince were unsure about the princess because she arrived looking cold and tired. But in the end, it wasn’t her appearance that proved her identity—it was her unique experience and sensitivity. This story is a great way to talk with children about fairness, judgement, and seeing people for who they really are.
Practical Tips for Parents:
- Talk about first impressions – Ask your child: Have you ever thought something about someone but later changed your mind?
- Explore kindness in action – Encourage your child to include someone new at school or give someone a second chance.
- Try a role-reversal game – Take turns pretending to be characters in the story and talk about how it feels to be judged too quickly.
How can this story help my child’s learning?
This fairy tale encourages critical thinking, discussion, and sensory awareness. It helps children explore:
- Empathy – How does it feel when people judge us too quickly?
- Problem-solving – Were there better ways to test if she was a real princess?
- Perception – How do our senses help us experience the world?
Practical Tips for Parents:
- Sensory Exploration Game – Hide different objects under a blanket and have your child guess them by touch. Discuss how different people may experience things differently.
- Discuss fairness in everyday life – When your child faces an unfair situation, relate it to the story and ask how they think the princess felt in that moment.
What are some fun questions to ask children after reading this story?
Get your child thinking with these fun discussion starters:
- If you could invent your own test to find a real princess or prince, what would it be?
- Do you think the Queen's test was fair? What would you have done differently?
- What’s something very small that you can still feel when you touch it?
How does The Princess and the Pea teach children about empathy?
The Queen judged the princess by her appearance, but listening helped her see the truth. This story teaches children not to judge too quickly and to consider others’ feelings.
Fun Parent-Child Activity:
Ask your child: Has anyone ever misunderstood you? How did it feel? Then, play a guessing game—describe a situation without saying how someone feels, and let your child guess their emotions. This helps them practise seeing things from someone else’s point of view.
What fun things can we do after reading The Princess and the Pea?
Make storytime interactive and exciting with these activities:
- The Royal Sleep Test – Hide a small object under a cushion or blanket and let your child guess if they can feel it! Then, let them hide something for you to find.
- Act Out the Story – Let your child play the Queen, the Prince, or the Princess. Can they come up with their own funny ways to test for a “real” royal?
- Create a Royal Bed – Use pillows and blankets to build the tallest and softest bed possible—just like in the story!
Can we do arts and crafts based on The Princess and the Pea?
Absolutely! Here are some hands-on activities:
- Make a tiny princess bed using a shoebox, fabric scraps, and a small “pea” (like a bead or pom-pom).
- Design a royal crown for the prince or princess.
- Create a comic strip of the story—what if the princess set up a test for the Queen instead?
Can this fairy tale be used for STEM learning?
Yes! This story introduces fun science concepts in a playful way. Try these simple experiments:
- Weight and Pressure Test – Stack different soft and hard materials, then place a small object underneath. Can you still feel it?
- Building Challenge – How high can your child stack pillows before they topple over?
- Senses Exploration – Place different textures inside a box and let children feel and guess what they are, just like the princess feeling the pea.
How does The Princess and the Pea compare to other fairy tales?
Unlike fairy tales that focus on magic spells or heroic battles, this story is about a simple yet unusual challenge. It shares themes with stories like The Ugly Duckling (learning not to judge by appearances) and The Frog Prince (proving one’s true identity in unexpected ways).
What other classic fairy tales have lessons about perception and identity?
If your child enjoyed this story, they might also love:
- Monty – A Sooper Books monster series celebrating the strengths in differences.
- The Ugly Duckling – A tale about self-acceptance and transformation. links
- The Frog Prince – A story about seeing past first impressions.
- Cinderella – A fairy tale about kindness, identity, and being true to yourself.