The+Floating+Prince

The Floating Prince and Other Fairy Tales

**The Floating Prince: **

//T////he Floating Prince// is the story of Nassime, a young prince who  was in line to be King of his native country. Unfortunately, when it was time for him to ascend the throne a distant relative overthrows and exiles Nassime from his country and home. Thus, Nassime literally becomes a "floatingprince," he must float around from country to country until he finds one that will take him as king.  Nassime, however, is not willingly complaisant and will not be deterred from his true role as King; instead of "floating" and waiting for a country, Nassime decides that he will create one.

"This is all nonsense," Nassime states. "There are plenty of heirs or usurpers to take a throne when its empty. If I want a kingdom, I must build up one for myself, and that is just what I will do. I will gather together my subjects as I go along. The first person I meet shall be my chief councilor of state, the second shall be head of the army, the third shall be admiral of the navy, the next shall be chief treasurer, and then I will collect subjects of various classes."

 It so happens that the first person Nassime encounters is a fairy, Lorilla, and she becomes his chief councilor. Through out the story she is indispensable in giving advice, and, in the end, it is through her magic that Nassimeacquires his country.

 A typical Stockton tale, it uses the fantastical to talk about the real; although the general tone of the story is lighthearted and at times extremely comical, there is an underlying tone of gravity in the serious breech of power by Nassime's relative and even by Nassime himself in acquiring his subjects. However, classically Stockton, evil in this tale is counteracted by kindness and compassion; as literary historian, Jack Zipes, explains "Stockton's major concern in his fairy tales was to reveal the ridiculous nature of commands, impositions, and laws that are not developed by the people themselves and do not make  common sense."

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">The second person Nassime and his new Chief Councilor come across is a Giant. In this scene, Nassime and Lorilla, both sitting on the Giant's knee, are offering the Giant the position of General of the Army to Nassimia. He, unsurprisingly, agrees.

**<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 17px;">The Reformed Pirate: **

//<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">The Reformed Pirate is a fantastical tale about the adventures of a young little girl, Corette, and a reformed Pirate, who spends his afternoons knitting instead of looting. This unusual couple sets out to visit the home of the town's resident fairies and in the process manage to get themselves, the two fairies, and their entire village "condensed," that is to say shrunk, several times before the stories happy conclusion. //   <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">In the illustration to the right the Reformed Pirate,  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">now the Condensed Pirate, and Corette admire their  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">newly acquired size. The larger figure in the background is <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">the Practicing Wizard who provided the condensing service. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">After being condensed, the Pirate and Corette realize that <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">being so tiny is not as spectacular as they imagined-everyone and everything that surrounds them are just too big. Thus, not knowing how to reverse the process, they decide the best solution is to make everyone just as small as they. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Well, we can't make ourselves any bigger-atleast I don't know <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">how to do it, and so I am going to condense the whole country... <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">If this thing works, everybody will be our size,  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">and all will be right again." [The Condensed Pirate]

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