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The Princess Who Could Not Dance

(Reading Time: 03:35)
A long time ago, in a land far away lived a King and Queen and their beautiful
daughter Princess Leonora. The Princess was beautiful, kind and popular. One
month before her sixteenth birthday the King and Queen decided to prepare a great
banquet to celebrate Leonora's birthday. There would be singing and dancing. All of
his friends, family and neighbors in his Kingdom would be invited to the feast.

The best dressmaker in the kingdom would be called upon to make the finest dress
for Leonora and the finest shoemaker to make the finest dancing shoes. But Leonora
was not happy.

'Why are you so sad Leonora?' asked the Queen Leonora had a secret which she now thought she must tell 'I can't dance,' cried Leonora. 'What will everyone say at the feast when they see I can't dance?' 'Of course you can dance,' said the King, 'you are beautiful and beautiful girls can dance.'

'But I can't!' cried Leonora and ran out into Tangle Tree wood as far as she could. She suddenly heard a beautiful singing voice in the distance she walked further into the wood. She hid behind a tree and saw a young peasant girl dancing so gracefully
and singing so sweetly in the wood.

The peasant girl suddenly saw Leonora and stopped singing and she stopped dancing.

'What is your name?' asked Leonora.

'Gisela,' said the peasant girl.

'What is your name?' asked Gisela.

'I am Princess Leonora and I live in the castle.'

'I wish I lived in a castle,' said Gisela.

'I wish I could dance like you,' said Leonora.

My Father Mr. Pennycate made me some magic silver dancing shoes when I was a little girl, which twinkled in the moonlight and sparkled in the sunlight,' said Gisela.

'Please would he make some for me?' asked Leonora. 'I need to be able to dance at my birthday party. If your father makes me some shoes it will mean I can dance like you.'

'He will be delighted to make the shoes for you and bring them to the castle a week before your birthday feast,' said Gisela.

Leonora was so happy and ran back to the castle and told the King and Queen that she had found a shoemaker who would make her some magic dancing shoes.

'Father, Mother,' she cried, 'I have found a shoemaker who can make me some magic dancing shoes.'

Gisela ran back to her father's little wooden hut deep in Tangle Tree Wood. 'Father,' she said, 'Princess Leonora needs some magic dancing shoes for her birthday feast please can you make the shoes for her?'

Mr. Pennycate agreed and started work immediately, everyone loved Princess Leonora. Mr. Pennycate worked day and night to make the magic sliver shoes. After 10 days the shoes were ready. They were silver and bright and twinkled in the
moonlight.

Mr. Pennycate said, 'these shoes are truly fit for a Princess.' He placed them on the window of the hut ready to take to the castle and went out to call Gisela. But when he returned the shoes had vanished into thin air.

'Gisela,' he cried. 'Have you taken the magic shoes?'

'No Father,' she replied.

'They have gone!' said Mr. Pennycate.

'Don't worry Father,' said Gisela, 'I will help you to look for them.'

Mr. Pennycate and Gisela searched the little wooden hut and in the woods looking for the bright silver shoes but they were nowhere to be found.

'What am I going to do?' Asked Mr. Pennycate. 'The feast is in just five days I will never make another pair of shoes in time.'

Gisela said, 'don't worry father I have an idea! Leonora can have my shoes. I can dance and so if she wears my shoes she will be able to dance too!'

'But your shoes aren't magic they are just ordinary shoes and they are not silver they are just plain brown and not fit for a Princess,' said Mr. Pennycate.

'We will paint them silver and I will show Leonora how to dance and then she will dance she will dance father I promise!'

Mr. Pennycate was not convinced but he did not have time to make another pair of shoes and so he took Gisela's old brown shoes and painted them silver. Placed them in a large brown box wrapped in red ribbon and Gisela and Mr. Pennycate made their way to the castle.

Leonora was so excited when she saw Gisela and Mr. Pennycate.

'My magic shoes have arrived,' she said.

Mr. Pennycate approached the King and Queen, 'Behold! I have these magical shoes fit for a Princess.' He bowed and proudly presented the shoes.

The King gave a questioning look at the shoes which were not fit for a Princess.

Leonora looked at the shoes which were not made of the finest leather or studded with the rarest jewels but they were magical shoes she thought, 'Try them on!' said Gisela, and I will show you how to dance in them.

Leonora gently slipped the shoe on her foot it was a perfect fit.

'You will be able to dance now Leonora', said Gisela.

Leonora put her right foot forward and then her left and began to dance and glide around the room so gracefully.

The King and Queen marveled at the sight of their beautiful daughter dancing, 'I can dance, I can dance!' exclaimed Leonora.

The King was delighted and gave Mr. Pennycate a large velvet bag filled with gold coins.

Mr. Pennycate and Gisela were delighted and they returned home to their cottage in Tangle Tree wood.

'It was your magic that helped Leonora to dance,' said My Pennycate to Gisela.

'There was no magic,' said Gisela. 'Everyone can dance if they believe that they can!

They never found the magic dancing shoes, but Leonora danced happily ever after.

-Jane McGee

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