Once upon a time there was a girl named Anna. Anna was very beautiful but no one could see her beauty because she was poor. She was dressed in rags and tatters and that's all anyone could see. She spent her days begging in the streets. Some days she got enough to eat, other days she went without. "If only some luck would come may way" she sighed.

One day the handsome Prince can riding along on his magnificent horse. He was strong and brave and not hesitant to declare his own wonderful attributes. He saw the girl Anna begging in the streets and stopped beside her. "You must be poor." the Prince declared to her. " because you are dressed in rags and tatters."

"I am" Anna confessed bowing before her prince.

"Well, this is your lucky day. I am going to give you a job cutting onions in my kitchen" The prince declared again.

"You are too kind your highess" was Anna's reply.

"Yes I am" the prince enthusiastically agreed, " and you shall benefit from my great kindness by serving in my kitchen, where you will always have enough to eat."

"Thank you my Lord" Anna said respectfully.

"Come then to your magnificant new life." the Prince urged. So Anna followed the prince to the castle.

Anna couldn't believe her good fortune. Anna was sent into the servants quarters and given an old dress to wear which was a huge step up from what she was wearing before. Then she was sent into the kitchen to cut onions. Hours later the Prince decided he would check up on her and see how she was doing. When he entered the kitchen, he found her cutting onions and gently sobbing.

"Why are you crying?" the Prince inquired, "I saved you from begging in the streets and gave you this wonderful new life."

"They are tears of joy my Lord" Anna answered. "I am glad you are happy." the Prince responded very satisfied with himself for saving one of the 'little' people.

Anna worked in the hot kitchen day after day. It must be confessed that even though this life wasn't paradise, she was getting regular meals and it was a step up from life begging on the streets. The prince did not see Anna again, but forgot completely that she was there.

After several months had passed, Anna's health improved dramatically. She was getting exercise by cutting onions and she was getting regular meals. The woman who ran the kitchen started to notice that she was quite beautiful. "Someone as beautiful as this, should be seen." she thought, " not drudging away in the kitchen hidden from sight" So she talked to the person who was the head of the wait staff.

Anna was cleaned up. They gave her a bath and washed and fixed her hair. They put a dress on her which was common for the wait staff. The dress was another step up for her and at this point she looked very attractive. They started teaching her how to wait and soon she was waiting on both guests and residents.

Her beauty was now noticed by everyone because now it was no longer hidden behind rags and tatters. The first time the Prince saw her, he did not know who she was. her appearance had changed so dramatically that he didn't recognize her as the girl begging in the streets that he had 'saved'.

There was a formal ball coming up where anybody who was anybody in the kingdom has to attend. They had to attend whether they wanted to or not because if they didn't, they would find out that they were no longer one of the people who was anybody but in fact would become a nobody and nobody wanted that. Everybody on the wait staff decided that Anna should go as a guest, rather than participate as a servant. The reason for this was because when you were assigned a class at birth, that's where you stayed unless something amazing happen to you. They decided to make something amazing happen for Anna because they all adored her.

They put makeup on her face and they styled her hair. They 'borrowed' a dress which to say looked stunning on her would be understating it's effectiveness. When they were done, she very much looked like she belonged. Anna couldn't believe her good fortune now. She wasn't sure she should go through with it but everyone urged her to go for it.

The ball was in full swing when Anna entered the room. Her beauty was on full display and everybody stopped what they were doing to admire it. The young men fell all over themselves as they tried to jockey for position to be the first to dance with her. The attention made her feel nervous. She had never been fussed over before this. The young maidens became green with envy because the attention they were getting from the young men had disappeared.

When the Prince saw her, he fell in love with her and he fell hard. He had never seen her before and wondered where she came from. He patiently waited for his moment and then he approched her. She danced with the prince. After talking for awhile, he asked her where she came from. Anna wondered if she should tell him the truth. She was afraid of what might happen to her if he did. After a long silence, Anna confessed that she was the begger girl that the Prince 'rescued'. He looked at her for a long time after her confession as if he was thinking about what he should do with her. Finally he said, "Then allow me to finish your salvation." The prince got down on one knee and asked Anna to marry him.

Anna was shocked.

This was her one chance to get everything she ever wanted. Everything that is except love. Anna didn't love the prince. She thought about it and finally said, "I am forever grateful to you for taking me from the streets. But I cannot marry a man I don't love." The prince got up and responded, "I can respect that."

The next day Anna found herself chained in the dungeon for humiliating the prince in front of everybody.

That's the end of our story for now. Goodnight everybody!

Anna had been in the dungeon for a solid month. To say that this existence was boring would be to state the obvious. To say that this existence was confining would be to state the obvious again. To say that Anna was lonely should be stating the obvious but I am happy to say that was not the case. During the month the staff would visit Anna in secret and keep her spirits up. She was fed regular meals, which was still better than being out of the street and she kept up her strength by using the chains as resistence weights.

One day the prince decided to come and see her to evaluate whether she had learned her lesson or not. "So" the prince asked, "Have you learned you lesson or not?"

"Yes my Lord" Anna replied, "Always remember your place."

A smile cam upon the princes face. "You have learned. That is splendid. I would command you to marry me but then all the gossip and the rumors that would fly around. It just won't do." The prince seemed to be talking to himself more than he was talking to Anna. "I know" he said finally, "I shall send you on a trip. Would you like to go on a trip? A one-way trip? to the other side of the world? by yourself? Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"You are too kind, my Lord" was Anna's reply.

So the arrangements were made for Anna to go on a one way trip. This would permanently remove Anna from the Kingdom, resolving the Prince's social issues. Anna was sent with a trader who was heading east, into territory that was know for it's danger. The trader told Anna that those were only rumors and that he had made the trip a hundred times without incident. Anna was made to walk alongside the caravan carrying goods that were going to be traded.

Anna walked for what seemed like days upon days and like the trader said, there was no incident. The hot sun beat down on her and she started to get dehydrated and weary. The trader seemed to be completely oblivious to Anna's condition and in good spirits when suddenly, the caravan was decended upon by ruffians. When the trader saw the ruffians, he seemed completely unconcerned, to Anna surprise. When the ruffians came upon the caravan, the man who was in charge greeted the trader warmly. "So how are you doing, you old war dog you?" he said upon meeting the trader.

"I'm doing as well as can be expected," the trader replied, passing out some ale to the ruffian and his men. "You are quite the host" The man who was in charge said. "You are welcome to pass this way any time you like."

"I have something else for you" the trader said."

"You mean a gift?" the man responded, "You shouldn't have. What is it?"

The trader called Anna, who the men for some reason hadn't noticed before now.

"I'm suppose to take her to the other side of the world, but it's too much bother. So I thought I'd just let you guys have her, since you've been so nice to me over the years." the trader explained.

The man in charge look over Anna like he was examining a cut of beef. "Well, She's nice to look at, but can she wash clothes and cook." the man asked.

"I have no idea." the trader responded, "She was a servant at the castle so I suppose she had to know how to do some kind of work while she was there."

The man in charge addressed Anna next, "We'll missy, can you cook or not?" the man demanded.

"I can cut onions" Anna responded sheepishly.

"We'll that's good enough for us." the man said, "We'll take her off your hands."

"I am much obliged." the trader said and went on his way.

Anna followed the men back to there camp where a huge pile of laundry was waiting to be washed. "You can start by washing our laundry." The said in a polite but stern manner. "If you want to try running, the woods are full of ferocious animals that would love to have you for a snack."

"I'm not afraid of you" Anna declared.

"It's not us you should be afriad of. It's the ferocious animals." the man shot back.

Anna spent many months with the ruffians. While they raided travellers and lightened thier loads, Anna washed dished and learned to cook. If wasn't too long before Anna was perparing meals fit for the king himself. As a reward for her faithful service, Instead of having to sleep in the common area, she got private quarters. All the men adored her and made sure that nothing unfortunate happened to her. She was adapting to her new life surprsing well and was for the first time in her life, quite happy with her circumstances.

After some time had passed, the man in charge grew very fond of Anna indeed. He wanted to marry her and so one night he made his proposal.

"Anna," he said, "you have been a great help to us. I have been impressed with the way you handle yourself. It is my intention to make you my wife. The men adore you and would follow you anywhere. You could be queen of the entire forest. What do you say?"

Anna thought for a moment. She could have everything she ever wanted here in the forest with these outlaws. Everything that is except love. She didin't love the man in charge. She thought over her response carefully and finally said, "I am sorry but I cannot marry a man that I don't love." The man's countenance fell but he responded, "I can respect that."

The next day Anna found herself tied up in a canoe, floating down the river for humilitating the man in charge in front of his men.

That's the end for now. Good night everyone!

Read Bedtime Story Part I here https://theprose.com/post/211815/bed-time-story-i

Read Bedtime Story Part II here https://theprose.com/post/212568/bedtime-story-ii

Anna was asleep. Her canoe had run aground on the shore near an old farm which was in disrepair. There was a young man working there who was in fact trying to repair it when he noticed the canoe and the beautiful girl that it contained. The young man decided right there that an unseen diety must in fact exist. Up until that point he wasn't entirely convinced but upon seeing Anna and how beautiful she was, no other explanation made any sense.

The young man brought Anna out of the canoe and took her to the farm house. Upon seeing her the farmer couldn't believe his eyes. It was like seeing a ghost. The farmer was convinced that Anna was his long lost daughter, who had disappeared over twenty years ago. When Anna woke up, she was surrounded by the farmer, who couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"My daughter, " the farmer said, " I knew someday you would come home." After the farmer said this he leaned over and kissed Anna on the forehead. "We must call everyone we know and tell them you have come back to us. I have prayed for this day." The farmer started to cry because he was overcome with joy.

Anna was startled. She had no idea who the farmer was nor his daughter but the farmer was so overjoyed to see her, that she didn't have the heart to tell him that he had made a mistake. She thought to herself, "If I tell this farmer I am not his daughter, he might have a heart attack right on the spot and everyone will hate me for it. It is better that I pretend for his sake."

Anna responded "I'm home papa. I missed you so much".

"Where have you been?" The farmer asked.

"I was kidnapped and after all these years I finally made my escape." She answered.

"But why were you tied up?" The young man interrupted, he was also there.

"I couldn't untie myself so I had to escape all tied up" was the way Anna explained it.

"That makes sense to me." the young man replied.

"Well you are here now and that's all that matters" the farmer said.

Anna felt restless. She wanted to explore her new surroundings and see what was around her.

"I think I'm well enough to get out of bed , papa" She declared.

"So you are" the farmer said, " This fine young man here will show you around."

"oh okay" Anna replied.

Anna and the young man walked into the village, which was not far from the old farm. As they walked, they had this conversation.

"Do you remember me?" the young man asked

"No, I'm sorry" Anna replied.

"Well, I remember you, you're unforgettable. I'm not just saying that, you are actually unforgettable. In fact, every single person who was alive back then remembers you, Every year on your birthday there is a street fair to celebrate you and it's really creepy because everyone just ends up crying uncontrolably but this year it's going to be different. This year everybody will be happy because you have returned to us," the young man explained.

Anna felt uncomfortable but decided to continue pretending. "I am very happy to be back. I had no idea everybody loved me so much." Anna wasn't sure what else to say.

"Well." The young man continued, " I love you very much even if you don't remember me."

The conversation turned awkward for Anna and so she decided to quit speaking at this point. The two of them walked into the village. As they passed, everybody stopped to stare at Anna. The news spread like a wild fire and soon a small crowd gathered. As Anna and the young man walked through the village, the crowd followed them. Soon word had reached the chief of the village and so he came out to meet Anna and personally welcome her back. The chief made a speech that addressed the crowd that went something like this.

"20 years ago, our beloved daughter was kidnapped and taken away from us. It was a sad day for our village. Her beauty and grace lifted the spirits of all who beheld her. Even though she was just a small child then, her kindness surpassed even her beauty. We never forgot her. We never gave up hope that one day she would be returned to us safe and sound. Today, our prayers have been answered. Today, we behold her beauty once more. So in recognition of this joyous occasion, we shall have a street fair tomorrow. we shall sing and dance and celebrate. To make sure she is not taken from us again, we shall lock her in the high tower tonight where no misfortune will overtake her." Once the chief had completed his speech, the crowd cheered. Anna gulped and the town magistrate escorted her to the high tower where she would spend the night.

Anna sat in the darkness. There was a small window but it didn't let in much light. It wasn't long before Anna realized that she wasn't alone. She could feel the breath of another occupant. She made herself ready to strike should the need arise. "Who the **** are you?" a voice inquired. It was a rough voice but Anna could tell it was the voice of a young girl. Anna moved closer to where the sound was coming from. "Keep your distance, I'm warning you." the voice threathened.

"I just want to see your face" Anna responded. "Please let me see your face."

The other occupant moved into what light there was in the room. Anna was staring at her own face.

"Who are you?" the voice demanded again.

"I think I'm you" Anna answered.

"You can't be me, I'm me" the voice corrected.

"No, I really think that I'm you. You must be the old farmers daughter" Anna surmised.

"I am but who are you and why do you look like me?" The farmers daughter inquired.

"My name is Anna, but I don't know why we look like each other." Anna confessed. "How long have you been up here?"

"I've been here since I was 6 years old. They put me up in the tower to keep me safe and then completely forgot about me. I tried screaming but nobody ever heard me." The farmers daughter explained.

"Oh no!" Anna exclaimed, "They did the same thing to me! Do you think they will also forget about me?" There was a frightned tone in her voice as she said it.

"They will! We will sit up here and rot forever!" the farmers daughter replied in a dramatic fashion.

"but how did you survive without food and water?" Anna asked

"I have food and water." the farmers daughter answered, "I've made friends with the crows and they do my bidding" she explained. The farmers daughter made a wicked face and creeped Anna out.

"Then why don't you have the crows steal the key to the tower so you can escape?" Anna asked.

"Well, I guess because I never thought of it before." The farmers daughter admitted. "But now that I did, I'll escape and you'll be stuck here."

"Why do I have to be stuck here?" Anna protested, "I'm the one that thought of it."

"Because the villagers worship me, not you!" the farmers daughter explained, "So there can only be one me in the village!"

"But I'll leave, you'll never see me again!" Anna begged

"That's right, I will never see you again because you'll be here, right where I can keep an eye on you!" the farmers daughter said. She let out a deranged laugh that sent shivers through Anna's spine.

So the farmer's daughter had the crows steal the key to the tower and she let herself out.

With the farmer's daughter free to enjoy the villager's worship of her, Anna found herself locked in the high tower all by herself with the crows.

That's all for now, Good night everybody!

Anna was locked in the high tower. She sat down and wondered what other awful thing could happen to her. After a couple of hours she started getting hungry. The crows brought her a ham sandwich and two thick slices of bread. "This tastes great." Anna said to the surrounding atmosphere. "Now if I only had something to drink"

Shortly after she said that the ravens returned with a glass of ale. Anna drank the ale down and got a little tipsy. She had never actually had the pleasure of drinking anything other than water before and she underestimated its effects. Once she was done eating and drinking she took a nap.

When she woke up, she spoke to the surrounding atmosphere again and stated, "I sure wish I had the key so I could get out of here." Soon the crows returned with a chocolate eclair. Anna enjoyed her desert but soon was complaining again. The crows returned a second time with some old socks. The third time they returned with graphite tennis rackets from the future. The fourth time they returned with moldy old cheese and finally on the fifth time they returned with a black key.

Anna tried the key in the lock and the door mysteriously opened reveals a set of stairs that lead into the darkness below. Anna slowly tip toed down the stairs so that she would not make any noise. She peeked outside. Everybody was cheering for the farmer’s daughter. They had built this platform with a chair on it for her to sit and the people were carrying her down the street on it. The farmer's daughter had a very satisfied look on her face. Anna just shook her head. She sneaked out of the village and started walking on the road in the direction away from the kingdom she lived in and the forest inhabited by the ruffians.

After she had walked for a while she came upon a man who was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands. "Excuse me sir?" Anna inquired, "But are you alright?"

The man looked up at Anna and after a few minutes and began to get excited. He stood up and looked her over, "That face, it's perfect" he mumbled to himself, "and that body." after another few minutes he spoke louder so Anna could hear what he was saying "Young lady," the man said, "I have a proposition for you."

Upon hearing this, Anna protested, "You can stop right there, sir, I have no intention of marrying you or anybody else."

The man laughed. "Marry!" He let out another hearty laugh, "Good heavens no, my dear", he continued, ”to marry is for fools, causes a man to lose his strength and his sanity. What I have in mind is more profitable, for the both of us"

Anna was intrigued, "I'm listening" she said folding her arms.

"I am a performer, an artist. I do tricks that are sleight of hand. With someone as beautiful as yourself to distract the crowd, I shall become the greatest trickster that ever lived." The man proclaimed.

"You want me to be your eye candy?" Anna asked rolling her eyes.

"Well, since you put it that way, yes! Look, everybody that passes by you stares at you for free, I'm just offering you to get paid for it." He said, "Just think of it, you'll be wealthy beyond your own imagination."

Anna gave a sly smile, "Don't make promises you can't keep, sir." she scolded

"Oh, I'll be able to keep my promises just fine. But where are your hand maidens that wait on your every whim?" the entertainer asked, "Did you send them away because you couldn't afford them?"

"Very funny, ha ha" Anna shot back.

"I'll tell you what, "the man said changing his tone, "Join me on a temporary basis, If you find that things don't go the way I promised, then we will part company and there will be no hard feelings. What do you say?"

Anna thought about it for a while. The entertainer was getting impatient but Anna finally answered him. "I will do it, but you will have to pay me something up front." Anna had not needed money since she left the Castle, but she wasn't sure when the need would arise and it would be nice to have some on hand when that time came.

"You drive a hard bargain, young lady, I liked that about you. It lets me know that you are shrewd and not just a pretty face. That will be quite useful in your new position." the Entertainer took out four coins and handed them to Anna. "This should be a good start." he concluded. Anna took the money.

"Now what do you want me to do?" Anna asked.

"All you have to do is be your pretty little self." the Entertainer replied.

The entertainer got up and collected his things and started walking. Anna followed him. It wasn't long before they entered a village and the entertainer started advertising his show. He was going to perform in the village square and the show was going to start at the end of the day. When the time came the Entertainer set up to perform his act and showed Anna what he wanted her to do during the show.

When the show started, only a few people showed up. The entertainer went through his tricks and the few people that where there enjoyed it very much. They didn't enjoy it because the entertainer was good, but they enjoyed it because they liked his assistant. When the show was done Anna complained about the lack of audience. The Entertainer explained that when the work spread about his amazing show, that there would be more people tomorrow.

When tomorrow came, the entertainer proved correct. The word had spread throughout the day and when the end of the day came, the whole village attended. The entertainer went through his tricks and the crowd was very pleased. The Entertainer was very pleased as well. He did a third show and it too was also a huge success. He split the proceeds with Anna and they left the village to perform in other places.

The entertainer and Anna went to other places and the results were the same. After some time, the entertainer and Anna were becoming rich. One day Anna decided she had enough of people ogling her and decided to part company with the entertainer. The entertainer protested because he had not yet earned enough money to retire. But Anna is insistent and finally the entertainer relented. Anna and the entertainer parted company.

The entertainer was a ruthless man. He hired some thugs to kidnap Anna, take all her money and place her on a ship. So Anna was sold to the captain of a trading ship where she was put to good use, cutting onions deep in the bowels of the ship.

That's all for now, goodnight everybody

Hello everyone. I am pretty much done with these bedtime stories but I thought I should write one more story and wrap things up. Instead I'm doing this .......

Anna found herself on a trading vessel, cooking for the crew deep in the bowels of the ship. Day after day it was the same thing. It had been a long time since she had seen the sun. There were days when she wished she was beggin on the streets again back in her own kingdom. There were even days when she wished she hadn't stood on principal and married one of the two men who proposed to her. But there was no use in feeling regret.

The crew became fond on Anna however and they treated her with kindness. They loved the way she cooked their meals and she even began to grow on the captain until he was fond of her as well. The captain thought she would make a good wife and since she was his property anyway, He made the annoucement one evening during supper. Anna protested and said that she could not marry a man she didn't love. The captain said he could respect that. The next day Anna was dropped off on an island 2 miles long and 1 mile wide and the sole inhabitant to live out the rest of her days in peace or lunacy, take your pick.

The End

I would like to thank everyone who has bothered to read any or all of these bedtime stories. I really appreciate it and goodnight everyone.

Anna had been stuck on this small deserted island for several months. She had gotten into a routine or should I say a rut. She learned how to fish and the trees provided tasty fruit for her to eat. She didn't have anybody to hound her. She didn't need money for anything. It really was an ideal life style. After all her troubles it was nice to finally be rid of them. But there was one thing missing. The reason she didn't marry any of the men that pined after her was because she had never been in love. The one thing that she always told herself was that when she married, it would be because she fell completely in love with someone. Now it seems like the chances of that happening are rather slim. Still she consoled herself with the realization that you can't have everything you want in life and the things she struggled with before no longer torment her.

But fate doesn't always follow the plans we make for ourselves and one day she saw a man, passed out on the beach. He had dark brown hair and amazing blue eyes. To stare into them was like staring into forever. A feeling came over her like she was drowning but never wanted to come up for air. Was this what falling in love is like she thought to herself. To have this intense emotion for someone she had never even talked to. She became lost in a dream but it was only for a moment. When she came back to herself, she checked to see if the man was breathing. Once she was convinced he was alive, She slapped him in the face very hard.

The mysterious man awoke quickly, jumped up and looked around. When the only person he saw was Anna he let down his guard.

"What did you do that for?" he asked with a slightly bruised ego.

"I was trying to wake you up" Anna explained playfully.

"Couldn't you have been more gentle about it." The man responded.

"I could have." Anna confessed, " but it wouldn't have been as much fun." She smiled when she said it.

"Well, I don't think it was that funny. Where am I anyway?" He asked changing the subject.

"I don't know." Anna answered, "I was left here to rot several months ago and they didn't tell me where I was."

"You've been here all by yourself and you've managed to survive. I'm impressed." The man replied.

"Why? because I'm a 'girl'" Anna teased. "You think beautiful girls can't do anything for themselves."

"I never said you were beautiful." The man shot back.

"Are you blind? Everyone thinks I'm beautiful" Anna responded.

"Does everyone think you are modest too?" The man quipped.

"Well, It's hard to be modest when you are as amazing as I am!" Anna explained.

"Maybe you're just not trying hard enough" The man responded, "Is there anyway to get off this island?"

"Not if your lucky" Anna said smugly.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Come on, every man dreams of being trapped on a deserted island with a beautiful woman." Anna rolled her eyes.

"I never said you were beautiful!" the man shot back.

"Then maybe you haven't taken a long enough look" Anna said with a stern voice. Her voice changed from playful to serious so fast it mad the man a bit nervous.

"It wouldn't be proper to stare at a women like that." The man protested.

"Seriously," Anna said "It's just the two of us, take as long a look as you like and then tell me I'm not beautiful."

Anna posed and the man took a very long look at Anna.

"Well, I suppose you look alright" The man finally said.

"Alright! just alright! Listen here, this island and everything on it belongs to me, including you. So unless you want to face some major consequences, you better think about it again."

"Since you put it that way, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the priledge of laying my eyes on."

"That's better" Anna said very satisfied with herself.

"Now that we have settled that question, what do you propose we do now?" The man asked.

Anna didn't answer. She approached the man slowly. When she reached him she pressed her lips agains his. A spark of electricity passed between them and they both felt something they had never felt before and they both liked it. He thought to himself that maybe he was lucky after all. All the misfortune that he had suffered had led him to this deserted island and this beautiful woman.

"Wow" the man said when the kiss was over, "I think you are right, maybe I am lucky."

"Of course I'm right" Anna confirmed, "I"m always right. The sooner you learn that, the better off you are going to be."

"I think I already have." the man answered and this time it was him who initiated the kiss. He put his arms around Anna and she melted into them. Being stuck on the island wouldn't be so bad now that she had someone that she could do anything she wanted with.

Anna and the man fell competely in love with each other and lived on that island happily ever after.