You Mustn’t Turn Right!

A long, long time ago there lived a young princess. She had a hard life because she was locked in a tall tower and couldn’t escape – or at least, that’s what we are told. Guarding the princess was a mean old dragon who sat in front of the tower. Life was very boring for the princess who sat brushing her long hair all day, every day.

One morning, a brave knight came riding through the town. Unfortunately, he got lost and couldn’t find the tower. He stopped at a house and asked for directions. “Well,” said an old man, “first you have to go past the pond, then turn left at the bank. Cross the road at the traffic lights and go straight ahead. You mustn’t turn right at the library! No, keep going straight ahead until you see the tower. You can’t miss it!”

The knight thanked the old man and tried very hard to remember the way, but he forgot and turned right at the library. He found himself outside the supermarket. “Oh, dear,” he thought. “ If I listened more carefully, I’d find the way easily.”

Finally, that night he came to the tower. The dragon was sleeping so the nnight climbed up the tower and looked in through the only window. There was no sign of the princess. “Hello!” came a voice. It was the same old man. He was standing below the window. “You’ve just missed the princess,” he said. “She’s gone.” “But how did she escape?” asked the knight. “She recycled the hair from her hairbrush and made a rope,” said the old man, “then climbed down while the old dragon was sleeping.” The knight looked a little sad then said, “Next time, I’ll bring a map!”