The prince in disguise.

We are doing MessyChurch in a school in a couple of weeks. In that occasion I wrote a story that we are going to use to tell the Easter story. I illustrated it, and now I share it with you guys. Enjoy!

There was a prince who lived with His father the king, and the most loyal and treasured adviser you can imagine, Mr Spiritus. The three of them lived in a great castle called Heavensedge, where they had everything they needed.

When they woke up in the morning their servants were servng them with clothes, food, and all the extravaganza that follows being royalty. 

 The Prince was really good hearted. His face was radient and He was grateful to his father and his servants for everything they did for Him. 

One day there came a man to their doorstep. He was poor and unhealthy, and smelled like rotten eggs. The prince was looking out his window and saw the man approaching the castle. The prince’s good heart lead him to the front door, to show mercy on the poor man. 

After the prince had given the man a bath, new clothes and food, the man told him his errand. He told the prince that the country he was ruling had fallen into a horrible state. People didn’t care about their wonderful king anymore, and they treated each other badly, forgot about the country law, which lead to poverty, famine and broken homes and hearts. 

The prince had heard rumours about this. Tears were streaming on his face, when he heard they were true. His people, whom he loved so much – what should he do? He went to his father the king, and his adviser, Mr. Spiritus. They spoke together, and realised that the only way they could fix this was to send someone who could turn the people’s hearts back to the law and the ways of the King. But who could they send? They thought about the head of the servants, but he had recently been to see the people, and it had had no effect on them. Then the prince came up with a brilliant idea. «I volunteer – I can go, in disguise». The father and Mr. Spiritus were thinking about it for a minute. Mr. Spiritus broke the silence: «It sounds like a good idea, but it might be dangerous!» The prince replied: «For you, my father, my King I would do anything - and for my people, for them to see you for who you are, and get along, I would even die!»

The next day the prince left Heavensedge and headed for the villages to meet the people. For some years he just travelled around to observe how the people lived and treated each other. All the time he treated people with goodness and kindness, even though they all mistreated him and each other. He was keen to show them a better way of life. 

One day he started to do public speaches about the king, and how they all should look up to him, and because the king was good they should treat each other nicely. Some people listened to what the prince said, and were inspired to change their bad ways. Other people whispered behind his back: «Who is this person, and who does he think he is to tell us how to live?» Some even publicly asked him: «With what authority can you say all this? And why do you say the King is good – since when has he done anything for us?» Of course they didn't know that their future king was standing in front of them. 

Some people conspired against him, and one day when he was talking to some of his friends about how amazing the King was, they came and grabbed him, and dragged him into the court room. Of course the whole court was corrupt, so when they accused him of being a traitor, he had nothing he could say that would help him defend himself. They killed him in the afternoon. 

The sun was red as blood, and his friends were outside crying. «All he wanted was for people to see the goodness of the King», they said to themselves. «Let us turn our ways back to the law and our king!»

Three days later a miracle happened. The Prince woke up from the dead. He went back to heavensedge, after he had visited his friends. He comforted his friends, and said: «I will send Mr. Spiritus to you – he will always be close to you, and remind you of me, and the King!»