Once upon a time, there was a little kingdom near the sea, and in that kingdom lived a little prince.
The prince's father was a tall, straight man with a neat beard and kind eyes. He laughed when the prince played king with his soldiers, and taught him to ride on his short shaggy pony. His mother, the queen, was elegant but warm, long golden hair and long dresses too. She read to him at night, and called him her darling, and loved to kiss his cheeks. Their kingdom was a small one, and not very rich, but they were good rulers and the people loved them well.