Prince Thornton and the Four Specialty Dishes
“No!”
screamed Prince Thornton, his face red with rage. “I
won’t! I won’t! I won’t!”
The Royal Cook sighed and took the plate of food back to the Royal Kitchen. “The prince is having another Royal Temper Tantrum,” he told his assistant.
“What?” The cook’s assistant had his hands over his ears. “I can’t hear you! The prince is having another Royal Temper Tantrum!”
“I said,” answered the cook, “that Prince Thornton has again refused to eat his lunch!”
“Then hand it over,” said the assistant, happily reaching for Thornton’s plate. “I love brussels sprouts á la mode!” And he sat down to enjoy the prince’s lunch for the thirtieth time in thirty days.
Thornton’s tantrum didn’t last long. He didn’t have the energy for it. In fact, he had no energy for anything. His jeweled crown felt so heavy that he could barely hold up his head.
That afternoon he fell asleep during a Royal Checkers Game just as his father said, “King me!”
“This will not do!” cried the King.
The Royal Doctor was quickly summoned.
“The problem is simple,” she explained. “Prince Thornton skips meals. No wonder he’s so tired.”
“Call in the cook!” ordered the queen.
The cook came rushing in, ready with excuses. “I’ve tried everything!” he declared. “I’ve served spaghetti with tomato sauce and spaghetti with chocolate sauce. I’ve tried recipes from every continent, and my kitchen is overflowing with useless cookbooks. I’ve gone through the whole alphabet, from artichokes to zucchini, but Prince Thornton refuses it all. My assistant is getting fat while the prince is wasting away!”
The king and queen took their problem to the people of the kingdom and asked if anyone could help. Not a soul came forward. Everyone knew Prince Thornton was a picky eater, and cooking fancy meals for him sounded like a waste of time.
Finally a young girl offered to help out. Her name was Shirley, and although she could hardly cook at all, she had a great imagination.
Shirley came to the castle on Monday morning and told the king and queen that she would make lunch for the prince. She had Four Specialty Dishes that she would try.
“Good luck,” huffed the king.
“Be my guest,” sighed the queen.
Thornton was resting on satin pillows. His face was scowling and his stomach was growling. His favorite book lay nearby, but he was too tired to read.
As Shirley curtsied before the scowling prince, the book’s title caught her eye: Prince Osgood Sails the Seven Seas.
“Hmmm,” she thought as she surveyed the Royal Pantry. “Perhaps I should try something with a nautical theme!”
Shirley set to work creating her First Specialty Dish. She made a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and cut it like this:
Using a carrot for the mast, this is what she made:
She put the sandwich boat on a paper plate that she colored herself, and placed it in front of the prince. As she poured some milk into his jewel-encrusted goblet, she said, “Here, Your Majesty. Eat the Royal Yacht!”
And he did.
When Shirley arrived at the castle on Tuesday, Thornton was sitting in his chair. The frown was gone from his face, and Fido, the Royal Cat, lay purring in his lap. Shirley smiled to herself as she curtsied to the prince and walked into the Royal Kitchen.
She gathered the ingredients, made a tuna fish sandwich on whole wheat, and cut it like this:
She drew a circle on a paper plate and arranged the sandwich pieces like this:
She added pretzel sticks for whiskers and an olive for a nose.
“Here, Your Highness,” she said, pouring him some apple juice. “Gobble up this kitty cat!”
And he did.
Shirley arrived on Wednesday to find Thornton waiting cheerfully at the Royal Table. Shirley made Specialty Dish Number Three, a cheese sandwich with mustard and mayonnaise, and cut the sandwich like this:
Using carrot sticks and wedges of cheese, she made two flags. She stuck grapes on the ends of four pretzel sticks for trees.
“Say, Prince! Here’s your chance to eat your entire castle and the forest, too,” said Shirley.
Thornton did, and he even asked for more trees, please.
When Shirley arrived on Thursday to prepare Specialty Dish Number Four, she found Thornton waiting for her in the Royal Kitchen.
“I just thought I’d watch you and maybe get your recipe,” the prince said shyly.
“Why, sure, Your Highness. Hand me the bread,” said Shirley, with a little smile.
Slowly, so that Thornton could study her technique, Shirley made a cream-cheese-and-strawberry-jam sandwich. She cut it into a big circle. Then she added two raisins for eyes, a wedge of cheese for a nose, orange sections for ears, and a thin slice of sweet red pepper for a smiling mouth. When it was on his plate, Thornton suggested some alfalfa sprouts for hair.
“Good
idea,” said Shirley.
“This is absolutely incredible!” announced Thornton. “And it’s delicious! Shirley, would you care to join me for lunch tomorrow?”
“Why, Prince Thornton, I’d be delighted,” replied Shirley. “But this time, it’s your turn to cook!”
“It’s a deal!” Thornton agreed. He was already busy planning his First Specialty Dish.
