The Queen Meets Diana
The tale of a mother who believes her new daughter-in-law is unfit to wed her son
Young Diana was a peasant girl that often helped around her home village and took care of the tasks her parents could not accomplish due to their age. Her beauty was unmeasurable and her heart as pure as the finest gold. While tending to her parents flock one morn, she was greeted by a wandering prince who had left home due to an argument with his mother. He happened to stumble upon her acre on accident but was left captivated by her gentle heart and astonishing beauty. "My what a beauty. Not even Pandora is necessary to drop more radiance on thee. How is one so mesmerizing left to tend to creatures so foul," said the prince. "For these are my parent's flock. I tend to them in hope of allowing my loved ones rest after such labor they choose to endure day by day," stated Diana. "A kind nature such as yours only intensifies your lovely aura. I do not think I can leave the likes of you," said the prince as he ogled Diana with passionate eyes.
For days, the prince would come by in secret to visit and talk with Diana. As time went on, their attraction to one another grew to new heights. Love taking over, they decide to wed in secret. "My mother would not approve of you my dear. She refuses to live with competition for the admiration of the people. She would not dare sully her lineage with the likes of those unroyal. My love for you is so strong that I wouldn't be able to go on if I don't have your hand. Please stay with me in secret forever," exclaimed the prince. So moved by his words, Diana agreed regardless of the fact that she could not be public with her new husband.
Months later, the queen happened to find out about her son's rendezvous outside of the palace with a peasant girl named Diana. She was furious to hear of such a secret being kept from her. When spies would return to deliver details of their encounters, most would recount her beauty and kindness in a way that felt hypnotized. Feeling challenged to maintain her reputable image amongst the people, the queen sought to find the girl and knock her down a few notches. After searching and kidnapping, the guards of the queen brought in Diana for questioning.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my new daughter-in-law. A herd girl without even a cent to her name. Mommy is so very proud," says the queen with a wicked, almost crazy look in her eyes. "Why haven't you journeyed to meet your new mom? Was he ashamed of you? Did he know you weren't worthy? Shall I make you worthy?" All of a sudden guards brought in large heaps of grains both brown and white. These heaps so tall that poor Diana could not see over them. "You want to show your worth field rat? Sort these grains into separate piles of brown and white. You have until nightfall. If such a task if not completed for your new mother-in-law, oh the consequences you'll face." With that, the queen laughed and disappeared beyond doors that lead into the room.
For days, the prince would come by in secret to visit and talk with Diana. As time went on, their attraction to one another grew to new heights. Love taking over, they decide to wed in secret. "My mother would not approve of you my dear. She refuses to live with competition for the admiration of the people. She would not dare sully her lineage with the likes of those unroyal. My love for you is so strong that I wouldn't be able to go on if I don't have your hand. Please stay with me in secret forever," exclaimed the prince. So moved by his words, Diana agreed regardless of the fact that she could not be public with her new husband.
Months later, the queen happened to find out about her son's rendezvous outside of the palace with a peasant girl named Diana. She was furious to hear of such a secret being kept from her. When spies would return to deliver details of their encounters, most would recount her beauty and kindness in a way that felt hypnotized. Feeling challenged to maintain her reputable image amongst the people, the queen sought to find the girl and knock her down a few notches. After searching and kidnapping, the guards of the queen brought in Diana for questioning.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my new daughter-in-law. A herd girl without even a cent to her name. Mommy is so very proud," says the queen with a wicked, almost crazy look in her eyes. "Why haven't you journeyed to meet your new mom? Was he ashamed of you? Did he know you weren't worthy? Shall I make you worthy?" All of a sudden guards brought in large heaps of grains both brown and white. These heaps so tall that poor Diana could not see over them. "You want to show your worth field rat? Sort these grains into separate piles of brown and white. You have until nightfall. If such a task if not completed for your new mother-in-law, oh the consequences you'll face." With that, the queen laughed and disappeared beyond doors that lead into the room.
Tears fell Diana's face. While this torment was set to happen, the prince had already made way to meet with his dear wife for the day only to realize she had gone missing. Panic and distress had captured both the young lovers.
Diana began sorting, despite the overwhelming amount of the grains she had been given. Seeing such determination and will so that she may reach her husband once more, small birds flew in from the windows and began to gather to her feet. It wasn't until about 50 birds had appeared until once walked forward and spoke to her. "We sympathize for you sweet girl. Your heart is pure and your plite is so treacherous. Allow us to help you. Please let us assist." The army of birds started to sort with her, decreasing the heap immensely and finishing the task before nightfall. The queen returns hopefully for failure but, is greeted by the success that puts a sour taste in her mouth."Well - I'm shocked. I don't believe that you were able to complete this within the hours given. What magic is at your disposal? You can't be serious!" The queen becomes frantic and after some time in this state her son appears at the door. "Diana!" he screams. Rushing in to grab his bride, he retorts to his mother saying that he must access his new partner regardless of her status. That he will not leave her even if he is stripped of all his royalties. Defeat came about the queen's eyes, but with her reluctant acceptance came new found ideas for torment of the girl she would call daughter.
Author's Notes: This story was inspired by an excerpt from the Golden Ass, which accounts for the tale of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche is a young girl whose beauty defies even the Goddess of Beauty, Venus. So upset from the people ignoring her because Psyche is so beautiful, Venus decided to have her son Cupid put her in an unhappy situation. Cupid and Psyche eventually fall in love and hide their matrimony from Venus. Venus discovers their secret wed and hunts down Psyche to torture her and cause her great anxiety and distress. The first task that Psyche is given is to sort out out a large mountain mix of grains and nuts into their own heaps. She is helped in the end by ants but the queen has many more tasks up her sleeve to try and cause Psyche tragedy.
Author Bibliography: The Golden Ass wrote by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline Un-Textbook
Image: A little help from the birds (Wikimedia Commons)
Hi Jasmine! At first when I read it I was kind of in disbelief that one such as the queen would be so rude and egotistical to her son's lover. Yet after reading your story, it made me think to similar situations that happen like that now. I feel that this story also teaches a moral or golden rule of money and status isn't beauty. Side note, I enjoyed the tone of your story and picture placement! Good Job!
ReplyDeleteHi Jasmine,
ReplyDeleteI like how unlikable you made the prince's mother in this story. I also enjoyed how the queen gave Diana the seemingly impossible task of sorting the rice while pretending it was somehow doable, but then when Diana accomplished the task, the queen basically admitted that sorting the rice that quickly should have been impossible. It's fun to see the unlikable villain make a fool of themselves.
Hey Jasmine! I loved this story! It was interesting how the mother was the one trying to ruin her sons relationship. I also loved the type of writing style that you used, as well as the descriptive words. I was able to visually create a scene in my head as to what I think the scene in your story might look like.
ReplyDeleteOkay, it's true: I really wanted to get rid of Diana, and I still do. You were exactly right in what you said about me: I have spies who tell me what I want to hear, and I have guards who do everything I tell them. I want to be in control! Shouldn't I get to control my own son? He's a fool, just like my husband was a fool (I told everyone he died in his sleep, but well, that's another story...). But that peasant girl is not going to rest easy in this palace because I still have my spies, and I still have my guards! And I still want to control my son! I'm not getting any younger, so I'll probably have to act soon. My son's foolishness will make him my ally. I'm going to go get that book of Brothers Grimm fairy tales down off the shelf, dust it off, and see what kind of schemes I can find in there that might help me get rid of this girl so that things can go back to the way they were before. Watch out, world!
ReplyDelete[This is Laura doing the "pretend" feedback: I thought your wicked mother-in-law was a completely compelling character: yes, she is evil, but she was also the most fascinating of the three characters! And all the evil plots in Brothers Grimm would just be fuel to her evil fire! Eeeeeek!]
Hi Jasmine! I really enjoyed your story! It reminds me of a Disney princess movie (which is a good thing). You did a great job of portraying the Queen to be so evil. Right from the beginning, I knew she would be the antagonist. The only thing I would want you to do in future story posts is to make the Author’s Note in bigger font; it was hard to read but only because the font was small. Other than that, great job and I really enjoyed reading this!
ReplyDeleteHey Jasmine! I love stories with the trope of two people breaking strongly engrained class boundaries for love. It reminds me of the movie Crazy Rich Asians which just came out and is about a similar situation. While this Queen didn't want her son to marry Diana because of her non-royal social standing, I see stories like this in the Indian community, especially more often in India where the caste system still dictates a lot of people's ideas about class divisions. There are many people that would rather their sons/daughters never communicate with them ever again if it meant that they married someone outside of their caste.
ReplyDeleteHi Jasmine! I enjoyed your take on the story and the way that you brought it "down-to-earth" or well, not between gods and mortals but rather between socioeconomic classes. This made the story very similar to another story that I used to read as a child, I cannot remember the name of it, but I did not realize that it was probably inspired by Cupid and Psyche until I read your story!
ReplyDelete- Anna Margret