The Beautiful Barbarian Coronation

• Ethan London, Grade 4, St Ives North Public School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

The Beautiful Barbarian Coronation

Rain dripped like honey as a lonely barbarian slept in a tiny room deep in the wondrous, massive castle. This barbarian was no ordinary one. He was polite, kind and honest with an intelligent mind. Unfortunately, he was unattractive with messy, unruly hair, tattered clothes and a crooked mouth.

Like an old granny who has been swimming continuously for three hours, his skin was wrinkled and fragile.

Like a move star, the prince of the castle ambled through the corridors. The prince was extremely handsome and everyone thought that naturally he was wise and generous. However, under his perfect appearance, his soul was full of malevolence. The only sign of evil was his yellow teeth. He loved to wear shiny and smooth wolf skin that glimmered like precious metal.

The prince’s father, the king was an old and kind man yet he was too weak and too old to control his own son. The king’s castle was magnificent with walls made of diamond, hundreds of cannons loaded at all times and silver towers tall as skyscrapers.

Envious, the prince examined the golden walls, drooling with jealousy. The prince coveted at the riches belonging to his father. Unfortunately for him, he knew his parents would live for another few more years so he would have to wait for a long time before he could get his hands on the gold. He decided to secretly poison them instead.

Before dinner, that evening in the kitchen the prince poured some poisonous pink powder in his parent’s drinking glasses.
“Hello your majesty. What are you doing? Trying to poison your own parents?!” exclaimed the barbarian.

Nervously, the prince glared at the barbarian lifting his glimmering silver sword. The barbarian glared back, whipping out his dusty dagger. They were animals prepared to battle.

After a few hours of fighting, the brave barbarian defeated the guilty prince and forced him to surrender.

Immediately the barbarian dragged the prince to the dragon’s dungeon deep under the castle. The king was proud and grateful of the barbarian for his bold deed.

Next week at a special coronation, the king announced joyfully that the barbarian was the new prince of the kingdom! Despite his ugliness, the barbarian was loved by everyone in his kingdom.

Moral: Never judge a barbarian by its looks.