Dance for a While

The Royal family was traveling.

Princess Ena usually loved seeing new places and people. This time she could tell her parents were worried about something, so she was worried, too. They had arrived at this remote castle in the early afternoon, and her parents were closed in a chamber off the great hall, talking in quiet voices.


At first Ena paced the great hall, but after a while she decided to explore. She tiptoed up a wide staircase, and down a broad hall, peeking into rooms As she explored the unfamiliar castle, she came to a door that led into a great ballroom.

 She stepped inside and the lovely open space invited her to dance! She took a little spin and felt her skirt twirl out around her, and swish into place as she stopped. She spun faster, and stopped faster, and her skirts whipped around her legs. Now she leapt across the room, twirling and dancing, spinning and leaping!

 As she danced her worries left her and her mind cleared. Ideas came flooding in. There was something she could do to help. She smiled happily and twirled out the door to find her parents…

A Princess in the Ballroom

Dancing helps Princess Ena. Does moving your body help you feel better? Does it help you think better? Sometimes it helps me.

 Try twirling and pay attention to how you feel. Do you think it could help if you were feeling worried or sad?

A Child of Royal Birth

Since I was a little girl, I have thought of myself as a princess.

I usually felt that my clothes were not quite right, but I often embellished them in my mind.

There is a poem that I loved, called "I am a Child of Royal Birth"

My favorite hymn was "Rejoice the Lord is King".

My favorite stories were all Princess tales. When I first read "A Little Princess" by Francis Hodgeson Burnett, I couldn't put it down. I loved Sarah, who decided to be a princess inside her heart even when her surroundings were harsh and cruel and miserable.

I vowed that I would be a princess in my heart; and later, when I had difficult times, I remembered. I would think of Sarah, and say my poem and sing my song, and remember that I am truly a princess.

A Child of Royal Birth 

by Anna Johnson

I am a child of royal birth; 

My Father is king of heaven and earth.

I was born in the royal courts on high. 

A child beloved, a princess am I.