The Princess in Black

The Princess in Black high-jumped

  the castle wall. She crawled up the

  secret chute. Going up was much

  slower than going down.

  There were three spiders in the

  chute. There were two bats. Even

  worse, there was one very cheeky

  snail. But the Princess in Black was

  not afraid.

  The tunnel ended in the broom

  closet.

  When she emerged from the closet,

  she was no longer the Princess in

  Black.

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  She was Princess Magnolia.

  Princess Magnolia fixed her hair.

  She fixed her skirt. She fixed a smile

  onto her face. The extra pair of black

  stockings she had left on the closet

  floor were gone. She hadn’t noticed.

  Princess Magnolia minced into her

  tower room.

  “So sorry to keep you waiting,”

  said Princess Magnolia. “All the birds

  are well and properly tweeting.”

  Duchess Wigtower took a long

  sip of cold hot chocolate. She smiled.

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  “While you were gone, I toured

  your castle,” said the duchess.

  Princess Magnolia froze. “You did?”

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  “Mm-hm,” said the duchess. “And

  I discovered something in the broom

  closet.”

  Princess Magnolia gulped. “You did?”

  “Yes,” said the duchess. “These black

  stockings. I uncovered your secret!”

  Princess Magnolia gasped. “You

  did?”

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  “Princess Magnolia, these white

  stockings are so filthy, they’ve

  turned as black as coal! You really

  must wash them. Everyone knows

  princesses don’t wear black.”

  “Of course not!” said Princess

  Magnolia. “How clever of you.”

  Princess Magnolia smiled. She

  knew at least one princess who did

  wear black. But that would remain

  her secret.