The Swineherd

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

It’s a ‘values check’ story for older kids—great for gentle conversations about what matters: kindness, respect, and not trading yourself for shallow attention. The ending is firm but clarifying.

Story Synopsis

A young prince hopes to marry an emperor’s daughter, so he sends two gifts that are simple but real: a living rose that smells like summer, and a nightingale whose song is honest and beautiful. The princess, spoiled by luxury, dismisses both. She wants glittering novelty, not living beauty. The prince decides to learn who she is without titles. He disguises himself and takes work near the palace as a humble swineherd. From that quiet position, he makes clever little objects that fascinate the princess: a pot that can play tunes and tell what’s cooking in every home, and later a toy that makes a curious, amusing sound. The princess suddenly becomes eager—but the swineherd sets a price. Not money. Kisses. The princess agrees, counting out the kisses as if they were coins. When the emperor discovers what is happening, he is furious and drives her out. Only then does the swineherd reveal the truth: he is the prince. The princess expects forgiveness and a wedding. But the prince refuses. He reminds her that she mocked what was real and precious, yet traded herself for cheap entertainment. He leaves her with a hard but clear lesson about dignity and values. The Swineherd is a moral tale for older children. Read gently, it can open a bedtime conversation about what matters most: respect, sincerity, and choosing character over sparkle.

Story Excerpt

Once upon a time, there lived a young prince whose kingdom was quite small. He had barely enough land to call his own, but he had a good heart and a famous name known across many lands. One day, he decided he would like to marry, and being a bold young man, he sent a message to the emperor's daughter herself. " Will you marry me? " he asked. It was a daring question, for hundreds of princesses would have gladly said yes to such a well - known prince. But would the emperor's daughter accept him? That remained to be seen. On the grave of the prince's father grew a rose tree, the most beautiful rose tree in all the world. It bloomed only once every five years, and when it did, it bore a single rose — but what a rose it was! Its scent was so sweet and so powerful that anyone who breathed it in forgot every sorrow and worry they had ever known. The prince also had a nightingale that sang as though every beautiful melody in the world lived in its throat. He decided to send both the rose and the nightingale to the princess as gifts, hoping…

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