In the castle through which we wander there is one particular tower which draws the eyes of all. It is an ivory tower, and in this tower is a woman who means more to you than any other. She is beautiful with a timeless beauty, a unique and wild beauty that could only belong to one so full of grace. Her every word, her every look… they all speak truth and love. About her is the scent of the roses, and the feel of light and beauty. She is both a handmaiden and a queen. She is the health of the sick, a refuge of sinner, a comforter of the afflicted. She is herself like a star, the Morning Star, and she is crowned with twelve.

Fairy-tales tell us truths. There really is, as Chesterton says, incomprehensible happiness resting upon an incomprehensible condition. There really are dragons, and as Chesterton again says, the dragons can be defeated. There are wonders beyond all understandings; apples perhaps may not be golden, but they are unbelievably green. And quiet and simple girls really do become, because of their great purity and innocence, great queens.

When we think of these stories, such as the story of Cinderella, we should be astonished. We should be astonished because the fairy-tale came true, and like every fairy-tale that comes true the reality was far more beautiful than what the story could tell us.

There was, once upon a time, in historical fact, a young girl who lived in unremarkable circumstances. In historical fact she was the epitome of womanhood, and completely untainted by any sin. In historical fact she was visited by a messenger from Heaven who told her she would be the Mother of God. And in due time she gave birth to this Son. She raised Him, and as she knelt by His cradle at His birth she also knelt at His feet at His death. She was taken up into heaven, body and soul, and there her gloriously resurrected Son crowned her Queen of Heaven and Earth.

She is the Queen of the castle in which you live, as well. To her the princess should give respect and love. The princess should model herself after her. She exemplifies all the virtues which the princess should strive after.

And she is more than an ideal to view from a distance. She is a loving Mother, whose great longing is to show her children how to better love and serve their King. To the princess she not only offers an example. She offers her hand, her heart, her care, and her love.

This book isn’t going to discuss the ways in which the princess can take advantage of that offer. Take her to your heart as your mother, and let her take you as a daughter to her Immaculate Heart. What this section of the book will discuss are some of the beautiful examples of virtue she has set before us. I feel hardly qualified to speak of it when so many others have done so far better; nevertheless, let’s pause in this ivory tower for a moment and sit at her feet.

For the Intro and Parts 1-7, click here.

Regarding the proper posture of a princess, we can say with some certainty that grace is one of her defining qualities. The princess is almost elven. She floats rather than walks, she stands straight and tall, and when she goes so far as to sit on the floor she does it with perfect elegance, smoothly dropping down while her skirts billow about her. From the princess of the fairy-tale to Princess Grace of Monaco, such ease of movement has always been the standard. And it makes sense. She doesn’t sprawl or slouch because it would be against the dignity of her position and womanhood, and do a disservice to the image she is attempting to present to others. The words of Milton seem quite fitting for her: “Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, in every gesture dignity and love.”

Grace of movement is easier said than done. I know this because I’m a tall girl who still feels like she’s all arms and legs. For me life is a constant battle against clumsiness. Alas.

In dealing with the appearance of the princess I avoided going into any specifics, but preferred to address only the basic principles of the matter: the role of courtesy in dressing, the importance of modesty, and so forth. In talking about posture I’m not sure that I have any such general principles to offer. That a princess should have a semblance of dignified bearing seems to be fairly plain. My intention now is to speak from the point of view of an all-arms-and-legs girl who has worked many years at gaining a bit more elegance, and do no more than share what has been helpful to me.

The first is the classic: put your shoulders back and hold yourself straight. It’s really something what a large difference this simple act will make. In a young lady an upright posture is commonly associated with activities such as dancing or horseback riding, which are noted for their elegance. Not only does it convey an air of discipline, but an atmosphere of self-possession and confidence as well.

The second is lightness. Lightness of feet also implies dancing, and the image of a dancer is generally accepted as a good one for a princess, as she often has balls to attend and whatnot. There’s really no trick to it. You simply walk more lightly.

The third, which I’ve found the most effective, is the same principle that was applied to speaking. Just as you make an effort to be more deliberate about your speech, thinking about what you’re going to say, try being a little more deliberate about what you do. When I find myself a little miffed with my clumsy blundering about the house, I remind myself to take it just a little bit slower, and be a little more deliberate about my movements. It prevents me from running into things because I’m being too heedless, which is a good thing both for this poor princess and for the poor thing that is constantly getting knocked into.

The gist of it is that just as a princess’ apparel should reflect her inner beauty, her behavior should reflect her thoughtfulness and dignity.

So much for the exteriors of the princess. While the subject is by no means exhausted and could be approached from many other angles, we’re going to move on to the foundation for everything we’ve discussed so far. We’ve said that the exterior of a princess should reflect her inner beauty; what is her inner beauty? What does it consist of, and from what model does she take it?

To find the answers we’re required to bid a farewell to the princess’ chamber and make our way to another tower of the castle, which is the residence of an important figure in the life of this fairyland.

For the Intro and Parts 1-6, click here.

In deciding what the limits are the safest thing is, quite bluntly, to speak as little as possible. This should at least translate to always thinking before speaking, but when the subject is the faults of another one should very literally avoid the topic. If I were to list the ten top things I have done in my life that I will always regret, all ten would in some way involve speaking when I should have kept quiet. If I were to list the ten most idiotic things I’ve done in my life, all ten would involve saying foolish things when I would have done better to be silent and listen. If I were to the list my ten past most grievous breaches against courtesy, they would all have to do with speaking when I shouldn’t have.

This isn’t to say that all speech is evil, of course. While maintaining a strict and rigid silence like the princess in the fairy-tale did would make the acquirement of virtue easier (a fact which many religious orders recognize), it’s very probable that there are many people who would miss the sound of your voice. But the princess who is set upon courtesy and grace should always be aware of what she is saying. If she deliberates carefully on what she should wear to a party, how she’ll fix her hair, and in general tries to appear at her best, she should be equally deliberate in what she says. If she’s goes to be deliberate about what shoes suit her best, she should be deliberate about what words will suit her best. If she’s going to be deliberate about what shadow is going to best show off her eyes, she should be equally deliberate about what words will best show off her kindness and intelligence.

When the Proverbs warn against the evils of the wayward tongue they also make mention of a recommended course of action. Wise men store up knowledge. One form of the spiritual retreat is the silent retreat, which I sometimes think isn’t appreciated the way it should be. Some people I’m afraid don’t understand the point, which is to be silent. Incessant talking narrows the world. When we spend those days in silence, contemplating on God, a world of beauty and wonder is opened up, and we lose some of our self-absorption. Being unable to amuse ourselves with our own chatter we’re forced to look outside of ourselves.

Wise men store up knowledge. Rather than stream from one chattering point to another, they take the time to listen, to reflect, and to pray. They pray to their Father in secret. They are full of wonder, continually startled by the world, because they don’t simply talk about it… they actually open their eyes and look at it.

It isn’t necessary that everything you say be grave and intellectual. I’m a great fan of those delightfully silly conversations, full of laughter and joking. But the joyful lighthearted moments should still have God at the center. Everything you say, without exception, should be true, and everything you say should be pure. As a princess you be to many a representative of the King, who say you serve, and the Queen, who you say you model yourself on. You never want to say anything that reflects badly on them.

For the Intro and Parts 1-5, click here.

The princess can learn to perfection the art of dressing and still be capable of making an awful impression on those around her. A proper outfit is the finishing touch to the young lady in question (and in this respect we’re working backwards; the second part of the book addresses the foundation of good behavior, which is virtue). The way a princess speaks, the way she moves… these are also going to show just how good her breeding was. And as far as clothes go, the biggest thing in being well-dressed isn’t necessarily the construction of the garment, but how it’s worn.

One of the most important thing a girl needs to consider is her speech. It is generally acknowledged that gaining control over the tongue is both essential to the Christian and extremely difficult to accomplish. Scripture is full of admonishments on the subject. Proverbs in particular has many sayings dealing with speech: “Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool is imminent ruin.” (Proverbs 10:14) “Where words are many, sin is not wanting; but he who restrains his lips does well.” (Proverbs 10:19) “With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbor, but through their knowledge the just make their escape.” (Proverbs 11:9) The Catechism speaks very gravely on offenses against truth (paragraphs 2475-2487).

Because of our nature as women, which is generally inclined more towards the personal and relational, we seem to have a propensity to talk. When a group of women get together conversation will be the chief activity. And when we talk we more likely than not don’t speak about abstracts; we talk about ourselves, our families, our friends… in short, people. The more the conversation centers on a person, the more likely we are to offend truth. We are all, no doubt, familiar with the classic image of the village gossip, the woman who makes sure everyone in town knows what everyone else is doing.

As G.K. Chesterton points out in his book Orthodoxy, in fairyland there are rules, and if the rules are broken there are serious consequences. One of the most famous fairy-tales which has the condition of speech at its center is the story of the Twelve Brothers. The brothers are turned into ravens, and their sister, the princess, is informed that there is only one way to turn them back: she must utter no sound for seven years. No speech, no laughter, no weeping. If she breaks this silence her brothers will die. The immensity of power she has over her helpless brothers deeply impressed me as a little girl.

Equally impressive is the power we princesses in disguise have. We are bound in the same way as the princess in the fairy-tale. In a sense we too hold life and death in our hands, and it all depends upon whether we speak or not. When it comes to the reputation of others we should consider ourselves as solemnly and soberly restrained. A false word spoken, and a reputation can be destroyed. Moreover, our speech has the potential not only to be injurious to others but to ourselves as well. A disregard for truth may not have the instant blighting effect on the speaker that it does on the one spoke of, but to take such a stand against Christ, who is Truth, will slowly and surely ravage our souls.

For the Intro and Parts 1-4, click here.

And now we draw the connection between courtesy and modesty. Modesty is about the inherent dignity of man; and this was the basis on which courtesy is built. In the past courtesy dictated that the young should show a great respect for the old, because the old had a special dignity. Courtesy dictated that a man would stand up when a lady entered the room, because the lady had a special dignity. Even now courtesy dictates that when we stand in the courtroom we should address the judge as “Your Honor,” because he has a special dignity; and that we should address a bishop as “Your Excellency,” for the same reason. Courtesy is an outward manifestation of the respect for human dignity that we should have (on a side note, perhaps it’s more than coincidental that basic good manners are falling out of fashion simultaneously with the gradual acceptance of crimes against human dignity).

Modesty on the part of a woman is a courtesy both to her own and to the opposite sex. To her own because, as we’ve said, it recognizes a woman’s dignity and the sacredness of her body; and to the opposite because, respecting him as her brother, she does what she can to help him guard his purity. In that way modesty is extremely selfless. A woman could insist that she will wear what she likes, and let the man watch out for himself. Instead, while recognizing that his purity is ultimately his responsibility, she sees Christ in him. Like Simon of Cyrene she helps him carry his cross; like Veronica she wipes his face.

Modesty extends slightly beyond what to cover. It also addresses how. And by this “how” I don’t mean “How much should it cover?” but quite literally: “How? How do you cover yourself? With what?”

The second quality to help the princess discern how to be courteous in her dress in a sense of what is appropriate. The classic image of the princess is probably something akin to the fair ladies in John William Waterhouse’s paintings: long hair, a simple yet elegant dress with a long train, with a belt loosely around her waist. But when I think of princesses in terms of what they wear the image that comes to my mind is far more modern. I think of Grace Kelly, who became the Princess of Monaco. Her sense of style was impeccable, and she has become an icon in that department, representing the 50’s look.

Princesses, such as Grace, know that there is a time and place for coming out in full princess garb. Like us, they spend a great deal of time being princesses in disguise. Princess Grace out sailing is disguised like an ordinary girl spending a free afternoon so occupied: capris, a sweater, sunglasses, and sneakers. Out horseback riding a pair of trousers and a button-up blouse are common. Hardly typical princess fare; yet well-suited to her activity.

Modesty in the sense of appropriateness means not being ostentatious in your dress. What’s appropriate in one situation won’t necessarily be so in another. What you wear to go sailing is going to look very different from what you wear out to dinner, and that in turn will look different from evening wear for a formal party. Often enough discerning what the courteous thing to wear would be under the circumstances consists of no more than actually taking a good look at what the circumstances are.

This is where I object to this whole fashion of going grocery shopping in pajamas. I’d object equally to a man going grocery shopping in his tux, or in his diving gear. Such outfits aren’t suited for the occasion. Under the circumstances they’re very ostentatious, and ostentatiousness is generally very self-centered, which is very unattractive.

Pajamas aren’t for grocery stores. They’re for sleeping. Tuxedos are for evening parties, and diving gear is for diving. It would be thought of as odd if a man decided that a tuxedo was the appropriate garb for sleeping. That’s not the purpose of a tuxedo. But at least if he were to come to such a conclusion we wouldn’t ever have to be conscious of it. The girl who comes to the conclusion that pajamas are no longer for sleeping but for shopping forces the rest of us to be aware of her logic.

The princess makes it her goal to dress in a fashion that harmonizes with her activity… and her interior. By dressing courteously, conscious of what is appropriate, and basing it on the virtue of modesty, she presents herself as a thoughtful and intelligent lady, one who is aware and respectful of both her own dignity and the dignity of others.

What should courtesy in dress look like these days? In the past fashion dictated courtesy. Now things aren’t so difficult, since fashion is indifferent, if not outright opposed, to the idea of courtesy. Because society is indifferent we women have no guide as to what it would expect if it were to expect anything. I stated earlier that I mean to avoid any particulars, and I was sincere. I’m not going to give a guide of what details of clothing will exhibit good manners in public. I think it should be fairly obvious that there is a great difference between pajamas and a nice top paired with a good skirt or pair of jeans. There are, however, two qualities which are essential to the character of a princess which are a huge benefit (speaking from personal experience) to discerning how courtesy in dress should look.

The first of these is modesty. Depending on the circles you move in, modesty either means something akin to chains or something akin to beauty. As far as the Church is concerned, modesty is akin to beauty. It has no relation to chains and bondage; in fact it has everything to do with freedom. Modesty frees women from objectification. It gives her the freedom to be beautiful without sacrificing her dignity, and to have dignity without sacrificing beauty.

The modest woman is often compared, very wrongly, to a caged bird. Such vitality, such life, such passion, one says, could be seen in the poor creature if only she were allowed to spread her wings. Perhaps I’m making the mistake of going for the obvious conclusion, but when I see a group of people standing around the bird cage, gawking at the bright colors and sweet singing, I’m more inclined to think of the girl who exposes herself to the gawking of all around her, rather than the modest woman. The modest woman sees her body as something beautiful in itself, as something of worth even when she stands in the forest alone; the woman who doesn’t see the value of modesty views her body as something that can only have worth through others. She is the one who flaunts her bright feathers and her voice for the applause of others. She is in a worse position than the bird in the cage. The latter sings regardless of whether anyone stands by to listen, because singing gives it joy; the former sings only to be heard by others, and not because she has joy but because she doesn’t, and is seeking it.

Through modesty a woman recognizes her immense dignity, and demands that others recognize it as well. Additionally through modesty recognizes the dignity of all others; for in choosing to dress modestly she is not acknowledging merely her own personal dignity but the dignity of women at large. It is because she respects the dignity of all women that she, being a member of that group, chooses modesty for herself. Modesty is often touted as a ‘personal decision,’ but it is the farthest thing from it. A modest woman is not making a statement just about herself. She is making a statement about all women, about what she believes womanhood to be. It’s for this reason, I would guess, that many feminist types reject modesty not for their own selves but on principle.

There are always going to be various standards of modesty. These standards don’t change only with culture and time, but also with individuals. Many have been set forward as the only way, though without any proper authority. Some will say that sleeveless is inappropriate; some will say sleeves above the elbow are the height of immodesty. Some will say the skirt can’t go above the knee; some will say not above the ankle. In some guidebooks a skirt is the only way to be modest. It can be confusing to try to navigate through all the various opinions and reach the one right answer. As frustrating as it is, there is no one right answer. The Church hasn’t gone into the details of clothing. The Church has acknowledged that there will always be cultural differences. There is only one rule that spans all times and places: that clothing be reflective of man’s dignity.

What this means is that trying to set down definite rules of modesty is going to prove ultimately futile. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any benefit in discussing the matter. I’ve found that musing over it with other ladies has been very beneficial in helping me form my own standards, and understand better the beauty of modesty as a whole. But in every discussion I’ve been a part of the end result is always the same: however many interesting points may have been made, however much wisdom has been offered, there is no final consensus. The Church hasn’t spoken, and we’re faced with the awkward yet awesome truth that the world is bigger than we know.

What this does not mean, however, is that anything goes. The Church hasn’t laid out specifics, but she has drawn a very firm line. Her line of dignity is a firmer line than a line such as “no skirts above the knee” or “no sleeves above the elbow.” The line of dignity is a real line. Any other lines that individuals draw are all dependent on that one line. That one line is the reason for every other line as far as modesty is concerned. That one line is the Line. Far from saying anything goes, it proclaims quite firmly: No Further.

We enter fairyland… or perhaps we’ve always been here. Regardless, the castle stands before us, a thing of elegant architecture with many towers. One tower stands out in particular: the one with the wide spacious balcony, the railing of which is draped over with roses. We need hardly be told: that is the princess’ balcony, lovely and romantic. Through the castle gates, up the staircases, and into the room of the princess. She might not be aware of it, but her room says a vast deal about her character. Is it tidy? Is it simple, or decorated in some way? What hangs on the walls? What books does she keep? What music?

A room is going to speak volumes. It will give some indication of the princess’ taste in reading, and whether her taste is good. It will demonstrate her discipline in consistently making an effort to keep her surroundings neat and orderly. It will show what her interests are, what she thinks about, what matters to her. Her choice of clothes will do much the same thing. It will show her taste, her thoughtfulness, and her modesty.

In writing a book that basically centers around princesses it would be quite easy to write an inordinate amount on the particulars of what makes a gown fitting for such an esteemed lady. After all, princess and clothes go together. My intention is to avoid the particulars of the matter at all costs, and focus on only three general points: courtesy, modesty, and appropriateness, or, in short, the principles, and not the method of applying them. My reasoning is that it simply isn’t possibly to set one method. When one is dealing with a topic like appearance and dress there are all sorts of cultural considerations, and to elevate one above another would require a meticulous amount of research, an extremely well-argued case, and far more pages than this book consists of.

Courtesy is, I think it will not be denied, very important for the princess. Presumably her family has raised her well and she exhibits her good breeding. The man once considered a gentleman was the man of noble, or gentle, birth, and gradually the title was claimed for men who were noble. The ideal princess should recognize that her stature in the eyes of other isn’t dependent on her rank, but on her bearing. She is not gentle because of her birth; she is gentle because she is.

The question of courtesy is an interesting one to tackle in this day and age. It almost requires one to answer the question: What is courtesy? In past eras it would be extremely discourteous for a woman to go out in public without putting herself together to some extent. To go out in grubby, casual, around-the-house clothes simply wasn’t done. Now, however, it is done, and nobody thinks anything of it. In a large part society’s norms are going to dictate what courtesy is. Is there a standard of courtesy beyond what society deems acceptable? In other words, just because society doesn’t care if we go out without dressing up a little, is dressing up a little no longer considered a common courtesy?

Some things are going to be dependent on society. The mode of greeting, for instance, will vary from time to time and place to place. We may be accustomed to a handshake at one point, and at another point a hearty kiss. Either way, it’s a very definite, prescribed, and expected form. This is where I begin to feel rather suspicious of society and their view of courtesy in dress. If society were saying that this new fashion of traipsing around town in pajama bottoms is the new form of courtesy, that would be one thing. But I have to say, I doubt that society is saying go ahead, go out in pajamas, for it’s courteous. Society seems to be in fact saying, go ahead, go out in pajamas, for courtesy is unessential.

Society strikes me as not setting a new standard of courtesy for a new age, but as dismissing it altogether. If society said: “It’s completely out of character for the reality of the present day to shake a man’s hand when greeting him. You see that we now slap him across the face to convey our joy at seeing him,” I might be a little baffled at the oddity of the development, but then again I, being slightly on the stand-offish side, might be a little bit baffled by the way some people kiss near-strangers simply to say “hello.” But if society says, on the other hand: “You want to slap that man across the face upon meeting him in the street? Well, none of our business. We don’t care.”

In brief, I don’t see this tendency towards lackadaisical dress in public as a shift in standards to “keep with the times.” Once upon a time it would be extremely discourteous for a woman to show her ankles in public. As the 20th century progressed, that became gradually more acceptable. But it wasn’t because society didn’t care. If the women of the 1950’s didn’t care about their dress, I don’t know who did. Ankles were shown, but this wasn’t because women didn’t care about courtesy, but because they did. If pajamas in public are actually an indication of 21st courtesy rather than a disinterest in it, I’ve missed something.

The idea for this project came at the time when such ideas generally come to my mind: at midnight. One by one the various topics came to me, and occasionally particular sentences would spring to my mind. It all came quite quickly, as I paced my bedroom floor in the dark, and I filed it all away in the back of my mind, hoping that none of it would be lost. The one thing that would not come, however, and refused to keep, was the ideal way in which to order the book. I considered starting with the exteriors and working in; I considered going from least importance to greatest; but in the end the best I could come up with was to order the book the way it worked.

This means starting with the Princess herself, though from her point of view she is the least important of the four total persons we’ll be considering. And it also means starting not only with the least important character, but also with the least important attributes of that character. As we move on to study her in relation to her Queen she’ll increase in depth; in relation to her Prince she’ll use her treasure for his sake; and in relation to her King she’ll have the foundation on which everything else is built.

This first part of the book is dedicated, then, to the Princess herself, and only to the most exterior qualities she possesses. These exteriors aren’t entirely irrelevant, however, for they are a reflection of her interior, and so deserve some consideration. And, quite frankly, they’re fun to talk about. As little girls we generally equated princesses with lovely clothing, dignified bearing, and a certain grace and elegance. This is entirely appropriate. There’s a reason that princesses are always so beautiful in fairy-tales. It’s because fairy-tales are very Catholic. The Church has always given us exteriors to help us understand the depths of of the matter. Rather than leave us trying to comprehend the Sacrament of the Baptism in the abstract the Church attaches the supernatural graces to the completely natural concept of water and cleansing. Princesses are beautiful in fairy-tales because their souls are beautiful.

In fairyland we should feel rather under the same obligation as the classic princess. To be a princess in disguise doesn’t mean to be a princess in disguise as a wicked witch. It means to be a princess in disguise as a modern everyday girl, because of her deep humility, but recognized by others as something a little out of the ordinary. The Queen of Heaven and Earth was disguised as a poor Jewish woman, because of her deep humility, but still recognized by all who knew and loved her as something beautiful beyond expression. Disguise yourself, by all means. If you’re a princess, you are a princess in secret, because you want the light not to shine upon you but your King. But in your disguise continue to be what you are. If you disguise yourself as something contrary to what you are, the light of glory will fall neither on you or your King; the people who surround you will look elsewhere.

Disguise yourself, by all means, but the little girls, like Blanche, should always know that you are a princess… simply in disguise.

This series actually comes from the fragments of a book I was writing towards the end of 2008. At that point in my life the future was very uncertain. A few months into the project, however, my application to Thomas Aquinas College was accepted and it became clear that God was going to keep me very busy for at least the next four years, and so the project never came to fruition. Browsing through old files, however, I stumbled across it, and I thought it was worth publishing as a series on this blog. It is incomplete (I was about halfway through when it had to be set aside), but hopefully there’s still a lot to think about.
 

She remembered that once, when she was a little girl, she had seen a pretty young woman with golden hair down to her knees in a long flowered dress, and she had said to her, without thinking, “Are you a princess?” The girl had laughed very kindly at her and asked her what her name was. Blanche remembered going away from her, led by her mother’s hand, thinking to herself that the girl really was a princess, but in disguise. And she had resolved that, someday, she would dress as though she were a princess in disguise.

 ~ from The Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman ~

I first read this passage when I was eight years old. It struck me then, as it strikes me now. The concept of a princess in disguise is a beautiful one. As a girl who has always loved to dress up and who has always loved tales of chivalry and romance I’ve spent a fair amount of time in fantastic costumes, pretending that I was a beautiful and noble lady with a palace of roses for my own.

I don’t think I’ve grown out of that. I still do long to be a princess. And it has occurred to me, for the first time, that such a lofty goal isn’t quite out of reach.

As we leave childhood and find that we are young adults the world begins to put a tremendous pressure on us to get our heads out of the clouds, plant our feet on firm ground, and start looking at life realistically. Now that we’re no longer little girls we should put the dreams of being a princess behind us and start being more realistic. College, career, money, and success should be our main focus now.

I would contest, however, that they are the ones with their heads in the clouds, and being so surrounded by all the whiteness, they’ve forgotten what the world looks like. We in fairyland do have our feet planted firmly on the ground. Because of this we can see the clouds. They are above us, and we look up at them with wonder and joy. For us, on the ground, the world is wide and full of mystery. The nay-sayers frantically climb a ladder that leads to nowhere. We in fairyland walk a straight road which winds both through all of life’s pleasures and pains. The path is strewn with roses at times, and other times thorns; we wouldn’t give up any of it. That is reality, and we on the ground accept it merrily. Those that live in the clouds can only go down; the fairylanders that stand in the world, where fantasy and unwavering truth live together, anticipate the ascent.

This book isn’t meant to be particularly philosophical or deep. I consider it no more than a little picnic in fairyland, though this doesn’t imply that there is no realistic meaning to be found on that merry romp. Fairy-tales tell us truth. They tell it to us in a magical way that makes us conscious of the fact that truth is wondrous, fantastical, and wildly beautiful. As G.K. Chesterton - who will be a chief companion in this exploration of fairyland - said: “These tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.”

And perhaps this book will turn us into princesses only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that we are daughters of the King.