ONCE UPON A TIME there lived a Prince who wanted to marry a princess. She would have to be a real princess however, so he travelled the world to find what he wanted, only to come back disappointed many months later. He met all sorts of princesses, but found it really difficult to understand who was really and who not. So, he returned home.

One night, a terrible storm broke out. Thunders and lightning could be heard as rain poured in torrents. A knock on the Castle's door was heard and the old King, the father of the Prince, went to see who the visitor was. It was a Princess standing right in front of the Castle's gate. But what a sight! The rain and the wind had smudged her image, as water was dripping from all over her dress. Yet, she claimed she was a real Princess.

"We shall see that very soon", the old Queen said. She then went straight to the visitor's bedroom, and prepared a bed for their guest. First, she placed ten fitted sheets on the empty bed, and then a beautiful ring with a bright, red, ruby above them. Then another twenty sheets of fabric and feathery on top of them, and then another twenty top sheets to cover them. The young Princess would have to sleep on the bed, but she should be totally unaware of the Queen's test. So, the next morning, they asked her how she slept, and she replied:

"It was very uncomfortable", she said. "I could barely close my eyes all night. God knows what is in that bed, but I felt like I was sleeping on a pile of rocks and have bruises all over my body. It's terrible!"

With no further ado, the Prince and the Queen realized that a real Princess was standing right in front of them, as she had felt the small ring that was twenty sheets below her. Well, only a Princess would have been that sensitive! So, they removed all the bedsheets and covers, and revealed to her the ring that had kept her awake all night.

The Prince then kneeled before her and proposed on spot. That ring was their marriage ring.