The Jester's Tale

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, there was a fool who entertained in the King's court. He could sing, he could dance, and most important of all, he had a funny hat with dangling balls! This Jester was a great friend of the King and the Minstrel, and his performances gained renown across the land....

He was a happy Jester. Poor, but not in spirit, and rich in mirth. The Jester had his court, and the love of his King, and he was content. But one day, there came a visitor to his performance. As he took his bows, he noticed from the corner of his eye a beauty the likes of which he had never seen. Pushing his way through the crowd, he met with the young maiden. To his great surprise, the maiden gave him a courtesy, and proclaimed that she was a great admirer of the Jester. But to his greater surprise, he learned that she was a young princess, and one who's hand was quite out of his reach. As she road away into the sunset, his heart broke for her loveliness. In his despair, the Jester set off on a quest to become a great performer, one who might win the hand of so fair a princess.

So the Jester began his perilous quest. He settled in a new land, far from his friend the minstrel and the King. In time, he grew to forget that fair young face, much to his misfortune. The Jester sought to fill that hole in his heart with hard work, hard play, and the faces of other fair maidens. But in time, he would remember the young maiden who looked on him with a smile, and his heart reached out to her once more. It had been years since his eyes had rested on the young maiden, but her face was just as lovely as he remembered. But the maiden too had forgotten the face of Jester, and was pledged to a knight of stately bearing. Despite a nearly broken heart, the Jester did not leave the maiden's side. When the maiden's hour of need came, it was the Jester who stood by her side and kept her safe from harm. She now saw the Jester for who he was: someone that would stand by her side through many dangers and bring a smile to even the most tear-wrung eyes. She now pledged herself to the Jester, and the Jester to his maiden, and they rode off into the sunset to live happily ever after.