The little princess and the swallow. ®.

The Little Princess and the Sea Swallow ®

A magical story for children.

Author: Jorge Ofitas.

Amber. 1st.

Once upon a time, in a very distant era, there lived a little princess who did not want to be a Princess. Her father, a powerful King of ancient times, always had much patience with her, trusting that time would make her see reason, although it did not.

The reason for that childish refusal was none other than not being allowed to visit the forest that bordered the great palace; built on the promontory of a hill. The history of that forest was full of legends, and it was said that giant trees thousands of years old lived there. According to the inhabitants of that kingdom, they murmured, they spoke to each other and sang enchanting melodies one night each month when the moon reached its full phase, although this was only one of the thousands of rumors that swirled among the populace about the deep forest.

The reason their highnesses gave for that denial to the little princess was, according to her royal highness, based on terrible events that had befallen all who tried to venture into that lushness, for none of those who dared to explore it had ever returned. Not even my best warriors dare to cross it! the King would shout at the Queen in the solitude of their chambers, when in reality the monarch himself longed to venture into that majestic, mysterious, and beautiful forest...

To their highnesses, it seemed incredible and admirable that their daughter had no fear, even after having heard and read the stories that were told about the great cursed forest.

On certain occasions when he was alone, the King would become saddened for not being able to please his daughter, having been the most powerful man in those rich lands; now impoverished after long centuries of struggle for having the exit to the great sea, which lay on the other side of the enigmatic, dark, and nebulous forest, blocked.

The entire court and the citizens of the kingdom agreed that without a doubt that forest was cursed, and they hoped that the mystic monks would decide the day and time to set it on fire with the blessing of their Gods, in order to expel once and for all the demons and evil beings that, according to the most learned priests, lived hidden at their ease throughout the infernal forest.

The proximity of the forest to the castle made it almost impossible for the beautiful little princess to forget the intense desire to venture among those majestic misty trees and discover the truth of what was really happening.

On full moon nights, she would always spend the early hours on the balcony of her chamber, perched on a chair or from the immense palace windows, trying to see the woodland hidden in the mysterious pink mist; which did not allow her to see beyond the first bushes and the occasional rabbit fleeing from something in the undergrowth.

When it reached the King's ears that the little princess spent entire nights without sleeping, observing the forest (for during the day she was watched), he decided to send her to a friendly kingdom so that she would forget her desire, incomprehensible to the entire court, for the people knew nothing of this royal secret.

The King and Queen spoke with their daughter and told her what they had decided. Very saddened, the little princess fled to her chambers, for she wished to leave the palace for nothing in the world, and even less to travel with her entourage and governess to a kingdom strange to her. So, for a time, she did not show herself at the throne for fear of being sent away, until finally the day arrived. An entourage with soldiers would take the princess to the Purple Kingdom, a friend of the Amethyst Kingdom to which the princess belonged. However, she had other plans.

When the entourage reached its destination, they found that the little princess was not in the compartment of her luxurious armored carriage. A messenger pigeon was quickly sent from the Purple Kingdom...

Amber. 2nd.

When the monarch of the Amethyst Kingdom received the missive, he flew into a rage. He gave orders to form a powerful military detachment to search for his daughter. The Queen would remain in charge of the kingdom while her husband returned. Many, fearing the worst, began to sob hidden in the palace corners.

At that moment, the princess was about to cross the line that separated the cursed forest from the Amethyst Kingdom. She smiled, took a step, crossed the mist, and suddenly found herself dragged by a torrent of clay that carried her downhill. Soon, she found all her limbs covered in clay after traveling several kilometers along that muddy path. Suddenly, she heard the trill of a swallow, and then a soft and loving voice:

- How can I help you? You're not from around here, are you? - exclaimed a bluish swallow of giant size.

- Who's speaking to me? I can't see anything... Who are you? You seem gentle?

- It's the mud. Don't be afraid...

- What's that noise?" said the little princess.

- It's the bright stream of precious gems returning... Heh, heh, heh.

Suddenly, a stream of glittering water washed over the little princess and carried her into the depths of the magic forest.

After a brief lapse of time, the stream ceased, and she found herself clean and dry. She couldn't believe her astonishment when, lifting her gaze, she saw that the entire forest floor shone due to the precious gems that those magic waters had left there, or perhaps not, she thought... At that instant, she heard the secret voice she had heard at the beginning again.

- I will introduce myself. My name is Yom. I am a sea swallow that soars along these borders and belongs to the Kingdom of Belita, invisible to humans, but I shouldn't be telling you this. Come, get on, I will take you to the magic palace of colors. There, the Empress of Belita will check if you can enter the Kingdom or be returned immediately... By the way, your father is preparing an army to enter the forest to find you, but it won't be this forest he finds...

The little princess felt worried and sad and asked Yom:

- What happens in that other forest?"

- The complete opposite of what happens in this one...

- It's not magic?

- It's not magic, it's terrible. That's because your father represents death with those soldiers and their weapons, and the door to the magic forest will not open to him...

- I must go! My father is in danger!

- You won't be able to leave now. All the exits are blocked until Queen Manfiria sees you...

- Then! Let's fly there quickly!

- It will be an honor and a pleasure, said the bluish sea swallow to the princess, who was somewhat calmer and very sad about the fate of her father and even the entire Amethyst Kingdom. She felt guilty; she had to see the Empress of Belita.

When Yom rose above the ancient trees of Belita, the little princess could see the sea, unknown to the inhabitants of the Amethyst Kingdom. She could see the fishing villages of Albatrosses, Gulls, and other seabirds, although no one ate anyone there, unless the curse was fulfilled. She saw vast, calm, bright lakes populated by Swans, and they all looked up at the sky, emitting a greeting to Yom, who trilled several times...

- Here, everyone is connected...

- In your Kingdom too, only... it's better not to talk about that... You doubt your own existence...

- No, Yom, I would love to know your point of view...

- Manfiria will tell you everything...

Amber. 3rd.

The King stopped his army before entering the cursed or mysterious forest. He dismounted his horse and approached the edge. Suddenly, something or someone abducted him, and he disappeared. The commander-in-chief calmed the troops, "Let's wait a few minutes," he said...

The evil and feared Algebrón, giant like the dark trees of the cursed forest, looked with feigned sympathy at King Amethyst, proposing a deal. If he helped him destroy the magic forest, he would return his daughter safe and sound.

- How will I know if you will keep your promise!

- You have no other choice but to believe me... Ho, ho, ho.

- What do you want me to do?

- Go in and out with your army, then you'll see...

The King was acclaimed by his entire army as he emerged safe and sound from the thicket of the cursed forest...

All the troops of the Purple Kingdom set out towards the lands of their neighbors in the Amethyst Kingdom, according to an urgent missive from the allied king himself. Of course, the Purple King was unaware that his friends from the north were bewitched by the witches of Algebrón's kingdom, and the mission of his army was to kidnap the Queen and assault Amethyst Castle once its King and his army were in Algebrón's hands.

Amber. 4th.

Yom carried Almoraima to the main antechamber of the magic castle. Manfiria descended majestically, unfurling her muse-fairy wings, observing the princess from above without her noticing, although prophecies and oracles had already informed the Empress that the being who had arrived in the kingdom was noble with a clean gaze. Soon she was beside her.

- Hello, Almoraima, how are you?

The princess curtsied to the Empress and stood up.

- My father is in the hands of the King of the cursed forest.

- I have news for you, dear Almoraima. Yes, it's true, your father is imprisoned with his entire army in Algebrón's deep, cavernous dungeons...

- Will he die, Empress?

- They will all be eaten roasted, in the best-case scenario. We must act. And there's more, the Purple King is advancing towards your castle, he has allied with Algebrón, the Queen is in danger.

- And what can we do?" she said, smiling and caressing Yom, who returned her smile...

- Yom, go and see the archetypal mages. They have something for you and the princess. You will go together; you will receive the orders through the same channel...

Yom took flight with Princess Almoraima, towards the invisible glacial caves where the archetypal poet mages lived. The princess said something:

- Do you think we'll arrive in time, Yom?

- We are archetypal, princess, relax, enjoy the view...

Meanwhile, in Amethyst Castle, Queen Ofelia V climbed the stairs with a dagger to assassinate Queen Ingrid. At the castle gates stood a large part of the Purple army, for Algebrón and Hachón had agreed to divide the sea, the magic kingdoms, and the Amethyst Kingdom.

King Ambarino I was treated with restraint, but all his men were imprisoned or prepared to be eaten or enslaved.

- Release my men, and I will leave the forest. We will reach an agreement.

- There is no agreement. I already have an agreement with your ally... Ho, ho, ho...

- You want to turn everything into sticky astral matter to hypnotize the psyches and aspiring archetypal consciousnesses, you will not succeed...

- I know your daughter will come to rescue you, that I do know...

- Don't hurt her, I will give you whatever you ask...

- Yours is already mine..." And after that, he struck him and knocked him unconscious...

Queen Ingrid saw Ofelia climb the stairs with the dagger. Then something prodigious happened: a leaf from a tree slipped through one of the upper windows, and Ingrid noticed. She picked it up, and on it was written as if by magic:

- Leave the castle and cross the indigo door in the garden, next to the orange blossoms.

The magic note was unsigned, but it would surely have been the work of Manfiria, Empress of Belita.

Amber. 5th.

Yom flew gently into the glacial caverns of the poet mages until he finally landed.

- It's strange," said the princess, "I'm not cold...

- The Archetypal ones feel no cold, no heat, no hunger, no fear, nothing shameful...

At that very instant, Yom disappeared, and all the light in the icy cavern passage vanished. They were minutes of fear and uncertainty for her. Where had Yom gone?

Suddenly, light returned, and a young prince appeared and addressed Almoraima:

- Yom told me to take this little sack and carry it carefully.

- Are you a poet mage? You look like a prince...

And after that, whoever that person was, disappeared. Instantly, Yom reappeared.

- Get on and be careful with what you're carrying. Don't drop it...

- Where are we going?

- You'll find out. Carefully put your hand in that bag and take out one of the nuts...

- Nuts? Hmm. Can I eat one?

- Don't even think about it. These nuts are not what they seem.

Queen Ingrid managed to reach the indigo door. Someone had left a few nuts on the ground next to a magic note. The note read:

- These nuts are not for eating. They are magic ether fireflies. You must release them in the palace, and they will do the rest.

I hope to see you soon.

Empress Manfiria.

And after that, the note disappeared. Ingrid picked up the nuts from the ground when she heard footsteps... It was Ofelia, coming to kill her...

Yom and the little princess began their mission. Their first objective had been to give the nuts to Queen Ingrid, and now they were heading, risking their lives, to the cursed forest. They had to throw the nuts into the bulk of Algebrón's kingdom...

However, everything would turn out to be dangerous and risky. Dalia the Old appeared in the royal palace of Belita, determined to end Manfiria and her magic goodness. In Amethyst Palace, Ofelia stood blocking Queen Ingrid's path.

- I see you're fueling up before you die... Heh, heh, heh.

- Would you like one? I can offer you one, Queen Ofelia...

- Yes, give me one of your nuts, I haven't eaten anything today...

At the precise moment Ofelia opened her nut, hundreds of flickering and luminous fireflies began to flutter around Queen Purple, who in a few seconds changed the rigidity of her face, her pallor, and her malice for a loving and astonished attitude at the spell she had suffered from Algebrón's witches...

King Hachón, situated at the castle gates, waited for his wife, who carried some nuts which he opened immediately. A light arrowed by the ether fireflies illuminated the entire Purple and Amethyst kingdoms. So Hachón and his army, now freed from the terrible spell, understood that they had to march at full speed towards the cursed forest to free Ambarino I and his daughter, whose whereabouts were unknown.

Amber. 6th.

The little princess and Yom circled in the air above the cursed forest area, but Yom could not receive Empress Manfiria's telepathic orders. He immediately understood that something serious was happening, so he returned to the palace, sensing that the Empress was in trouble...

The Empress could not send the message to Yom because she was being attacked relentlessly by Dalia, Algebrón's consort. When all seemed lost, the Dragon Prince appeared and intervened, which allowed Manfiria to send her message to Yom and Almoraima.

Finally, Yom and the little princess managed to release the nuts, and the entire cursed area lit up, as did the other regions. The mist disappeared, and the four kingdoms were illuminated. All the people and living beings of the cursed forest became magical and archetypal. Without exception. Algebrón returned to his previous life as guardian of the forest and servant of Manfiria. Dalia the Old rejuvenated after the light of Ether reached her, and she also returned to the palace of Belita as a winged muse in the service of the poet mages, and came to be called Dalia the New.

The next morning, when the little princess awoke, she saw her parents kneeling beside her bed, both with looks of tenderness towards their daughter. She hugged them and asked what was happening...

- Your mother and I had a terrible nightmare tonight. Let her tell you...Ingrid, please.

- Your father and I had a shared nightmare. Afterwards, we laughed, and we came to see you wake up...

- And what happened in that nightmare, Mother?

- We dreamed that you had gotten lost in a cursed forest. 

- What cursed forest?

- It was in front of the palace. Your father decided to send you to the Purple Kingdom, and you escaped and got lost. Your father gathered the army, and there was a blue sea swallow flying everywhere..."

- Do you mean Yom? Mother

- What did you say, daughter? The King inferred.

- Nothing, my mind went blank. Heh, heh. Continue, Mother.

- Even Queen Ofelia, who wanted to kill me, and the Empress of Belita, Manfiria, who saved me, appeared in the nightmare...

- Aha. And what else?

- Well, in the end, we came to see you to check that it had all been a nightmare... What's that noise?

- I'll be right back, I must greet a friend...

The friend the little princess spoke of could be none other than Yom. She ran down the stairs, went outside, and hidden among some trees, Yom signaled Almoraima to approach.

- What's wrong, Yom?

- I've only come to tell you that, except for the Empress, the Dragon Prince, you, and me, the rest of the beings in the magic kingdom, now restored, know nothing of what happened. For some, it was just a bad dream, and the rest don't even remember.

- I've realized. My parents think it was a nightmare...

- Thank you for everything, Princess. You are the heroine of this story. A long time ago, the poet mages predicted your arrival, and thanks to you, the entire archetypal magic kingdom of Belita has returned to how it always was: a kingdom of peace, wisdom, and magic with much love... Now I must leave. I can no longer continue being a swallow.

Suddenly, Yom turned into a metaphysical bubble that imploded. The little princess was stunned, believing he would reappear. However, the sound of a horse approaching at a slow trot along the amber path could be heard.

- Who are you?" said the little princess to the boy riding the old horse.

- I am from the humble village of Amethyst.

- What do you want, boy?

An ether firefly suddenly fluttered between the young man and the little princess. He dismounted his horse and exclaimed:

- Why are you crying?

- It's for my friend Yom, he has disappeared forever...

- Ah, I see. Are you referring to a bluish swallow from the kingdom of Belita?

- Do you know him?

- Of course! He is a very good friend of mine... Would you like to see him again?

- Yes. I will grant you a wish if what you say is true.

- Well, in that case, get on the back of my nag.

- Alright.

The noble Almoraima did as the boy indicated. Suddenly, the horse took flight like a mythological creature, and as they flew over the magic region, the precious animal suddenly turned into Yom. The boy disappeared.

- Hello Yom! Why did you leave?

- Dear Little Princess, I cannot be Yom and the Dragon Prince at the same time...

- Ah, how interesting. Thank you for everything, Prince...

- Where would you like me to take you today? It's a very special day.

The little princess caressed her friend and perhaps her future love...

- Will you take me to the sea? Since I came into this world, I have always wanted to know it...

- I will always take you with me wherever you wish.

THE END

Characters

Amethyst Kingdom

Ambarino I. King of Amethyst.

Ingrid. II. Queen of Amethyst.

Almoraima. I. Princess of Amethyst.

Purple Kingdom

Hachón 2. King of Purple.

Ofelia V. Queen of Purple.

Cursed Forest

Chief Necromancer: Algebrón V.

Commander Witch: Dalia the Old.

Magic Forest

Empress Manfiria. Sovereign of the luminous forest and the sea.

Dragon Prince. Son of the Empress and the deceased Emperor.

Yom: Sea swallow of the magic sea and Manfiria's helper.

All rights reserved. ®.

Story Author: Jorge Ofitas.

Spain. 2005. ®. Europe. 2025. ®.