About this story
King Arthur’s crown is full of rubies and diamonds, and so heavy that he can only ever look at the ceiling. In the royal garden he meets Benny, the gardener’s son, who is doing somersaults in a crown of clover and daisies, and who asks if the King would like to try his.
Ages: 5–9 · Reading time: about 3 minutes
Moral: The things that make us look important are not always the things that make us happy.
The cold gold pressed hard against King Arthur’s temples.
He walked through the stone corridors of the castle, and with every step, he felt the weight on his head. The crown was magnificent, filled with rubies as red as blood and diamonds that sparkled like ice. But it was heavy. Very, very heavy.
“Your Majesty,” the guards bowed as he passed. Arthur tried to nod, but his neck ached. If he lowered his head to look anyone in the eye, the crown might fall. So, he lived with his chin held high, always looking at the ceiling—far from the people, far from the ground.
The Crown of Flowers
He stepped out into the royal garden in search of fresh air. The scent of jasmine and damp earth was inviting. There, sitting on the grass, was Benny, the gardener’s son. The boy was laughing to himself, weaving stems of clover and daisies together.
Arthur stopped. Benny placed a flower garland on his head. It was crooked, it wilted fast, and it was full of pollen. But Benny jumped, ran, and did somersaults with it. The King felt a sting of envy. He couldn’t do somersaults.
“Your Majesty?” the boy stopped, startled, holding his crown of weeds. The King approached slowly. The metal on his head felt like a ton under the midday sun. It was sweaty and itchy.
The Scent of Honey
“That crown of yours… is it heavy?” the King asked, his voice a bit raspy. “No, sir. It smells like honey,” Benny replied, holding out a daisy. “Do you want to try?”
King Arthur hesitated. Is a king without a crown still a king? With shaky hands, he reached up. He felt the cold metal. He lifted the crown. The relief was instant. The cool wind ruffled his grey hair. The blood flowed back to his ears. He breathed deeply and, for the first time in years, he could look down.
He saw the ants working, he saw the sparkle in the boy’s eyes, and he saw the beauty of the flower Benny was offering. Arthur sat on the grass (which wrinkled his velvet cloak, but he didn’t care). He took the daisy and tucked it behind his ear.
“Today, Benny,” the King said, with a light, painless smile, “you taught me that true royalty isn’t in the gold we carry on our heads, but in the freedom of feeling the wind on our faces.”
The golden crown was left resting on a stone bench, while the King and the boy watched the butterflies, both crowned only by the sunlight.
