“ Mommy, can you tell me a bedtime story please?” my four-year old daughter asked me one night as I tucked her into bed. I nodded and sat at the end of the bed by her feet.

“ Once upon a time,” I started. “ In a faraway kingdom lived a maiden. Now unlike other fairytale maidens who were beautiful and perfect in every way, this maiden was ugly and hideous. She had shoulder length, straw like blond hair and puke color green eyes. But, her mother and father said that in their eyes she was as precious as a diamond. She just need to look past her outside appearance because it’s the inside that counts. But, no matter how hard she’d try; she wouldn’t be able to look past her flaws. How am I ever going to get married if I’m not pretty? She’d ask herself this question time and time again but nothing would happen. She would criticize every minor detail about herself, from her crooked teeth and huge overbite, to the way when she’d smile, bags would appear under her eyes making her look like an old witch more than a fair maiden.

That all changed one day when her fairy godmother paid a well-anticipated visit to the girl’s house. The fairy godmother whose name was Melinda arrived to find the little girl crying endlessly on her bed with her face in the middle of her pillow.

“ Now, child whatever is the matter?” Melinda asked Bella. The little girl looked up and wiped her tears away as she realized who was standing before.

“ I hate myself. I don’t think I’m the least bit pretty. Truthfully, I think I’m hideous.” Bella said starting to cry again.

“ Deary, do stop crying. Everyone is pretty in their own way.”’”

“ Not me. Everyone except me.” Bella said sobbing now.

“ Okay, you know what I’ll do? I’ll grant you one wish. But, be careful on what you wish for, because you know I can’t reverse it once you’ve wished for it.”

Bella thought long and hard about this and finally made a decision.

“ I wish a handsome guy even maybe a prince my age would love me for the way I am.” The next day there was a knock at the door.

“ Does Bella Aine live here?” a very handsome young man asked Bella’s mother.

“ Yes, but are you sure you have the right house?” he mother wasn’t accustomed to having handsome young men coming over to see Bella.

“ Yes, I’m pretty certain.”

“ Okay, hang on a minute.” Her mother said motioning for the boy to come in. A few minutes later Bella came down with a gigantic grin on her face. Bella finally found her Prince Charming in the form of a prince named Tristan. The End.” I paused for a second.
“ Well, what happened after that did they live happily ever after?” my daughter stared at me wide-eyed.
“ After that they got married, had many many kids, and ruled as king and queen together until they were in their eighties. So, if you ever get angry or upset about the way you look just remember Bella and Tristan and one day you’ll meet your Prince Charming.” I glanced at my daughter who was wide-awake listening intently. She seemed upset that the story had ended.