Besides, Who Ever Asked You

My Favorite Six Letter Word Is Always Because It Promises So Much. My Favorite Five Letter Word Is Never Because It Insists On Contradicting The Promise. My Favorite Four Letter Word Is Once Because It Says It Happened Then. My Favorite Three Letter Word Is Yes Because I’m Just Now Learning To Say It To My Heart. My Favorite Two Letter Word Is If Because It Makes All Things Possible Like This: If Not Always If Not Never Then Once. Yes.

Like Most Hearts, It Was Complicated, Shaded With Dark And Dappled With Light.

I Will Be Brave, Thought Despereaux. I Will Try To Be Brave Like A Knight In Shining Armour. I Will Be Brave For The Princess Pea.

Everything, As You Well Know . . . Cannot Always Be Sweetness And Light.

Once There Was A Princess Who Was Very Beautiful. She Shone Bright As The Stars On A Moonless Night. But What Difference Did It Make That She Was Beautiful? None. No Difference." Why Did It Make No Difference?" Asked Abilene. Because," Said Pellegrina, "she Was A Princess Who Loved No One And Cared Nothing For Love, Even Though There Were Many Who Loved Her.