"Once upon a time, there was a Prince, who lived in a dark, cold tower. He lived there alone, until one day a bright bird flew in and talked to him..."
"Birds can't talk, Daddy."
"This was a magic bird, pumpkin. And she talked a lot."
"Oh, okay."
"So, the magic bird made him very happy. But she didn't want to belong to the Prince. She wanted to belong to a farmer. Now this farmer was a very silly farmer. Instead of the magic bird, he wanted a little dove. This made the magic bird very unhappy. It made the Prince unhappy, too, but because the farmer was his friend, he decided to get him the dove. And then maybe the magic bird would want to belong to the Prince."
"Did she?"
"Well, yes. And the Prince was happy. But he was also afraid that one day she would fly away from him."
"Didn't she have a cage?"
"If he'd tried to put the magic bird in a cage, she would have pecked him. She needed to be free to fly. So one day, he opened the window of the dark, cold tower and told her to fly away, for a year and a day. And he sat by the window and waited for her. The magic bird flew away, and at first she was happy out in the world. She visited the farmer - he no longer owned the dove, but had another magic bird of his own. She flew around the world, and she saw camels and elephants and tigers. But after a while, she began to miss the Prince. And she wondered if he missed her. He did, because he was watching her through his enchanted mirror. So she flew back to the dark, cold tower and in through the window to where he was waiting for her. And when she got home, she turned into a Princess, and they lived happily ever after." He leans forward, kisses a small forehead. "Good-night, pumpkin."
Two small warm arms wrap round his neck briefly. "G'night, Daddy."
When he closes the bedroom door softly, another pair of arms wrap around him.
"She does love that story."
"So do I." He turns, embraces his wife. "Maybe I should have put you in a cage."
She reaches up, bites his neck gently. "I'd peck."
"Mmm." He's moving her back towards their bedroom, and she recognises that look in his eyes.
"Alexander!" An ineffectual push at his chest, laughing quietly.
"Ssshh. We're living happily ever after."
"Birds can't talk, Daddy."
"This was a magic bird, pumpkin. And she talked a lot."
"Oh, okay."
"So, the magic bird made him very happy. But she didn't want to belong to the Prince. She wanted to belong to a farmer. Now this farmer was a very silly farmer. Instead of the magic bird, he wanted a little dove. This made the magic bird very unhappy. It made the Prince unhappy, too, but because the farmer was his friend, he decided to get him the dove. And then maybe the magic bird would want to belong to the Prince."
"Did she?"
"Well, yes. And the Prince was happy. But he was also afraid that one day she would fly away from him."
"Didn't she have a cage?"
"If he'd tried to put the magic bird in a cage, she would have pecked him. She needed to be free to fly. So one day, he opened the window of the dark, cold tower and told her to fly away, for a year and a day. And he sat by the window and waited for her. The magic bird flew away, and at first she was happy out in the world. She visited the farmer - he no longer owned the dove, but had another magic bird of his own. She flew around the world, and she saw camels and elephants and tigers. But after a while, she began to miss the Prince. And she wondered if he missed her. He did, because he was watching her through his enchanted mirror. So she flew back to the dark, cold tower and in through the window to where he was waiting for her. And when she got home, she turned into a Princess, and they lived happily ever after." He leans forward, kisses a small forehead. "Good-night, pumpkin."
Two small warm arms wrap round his neck briefly. "G'night, Daddy."
When he closes the bedroom door softly, another pair of arms wrap around him.
"She does love that story."
"So do I." He turns, embraces his wife. "Maybe I should have put you in a cage."
She reaches up, bites his neck gently. "I'd peck."
"Mmm." He's moving her back towards their bedroom, and she recognises that look in his eyes.
"Alexander!" An ineffectual push at his chest, laughing quietly.
"Ssshh. We're living happily ever after."