Princess Elowen's Freedom

In a faraway land over the plains, across the mighty green sea, nestled on the edge of the Great Forest lived a lonely princess called Elowen. Elowen lived with her father and mother, King Ash and Queen Lilac. She wasn't allowed to venture outside the castle and garden walls and her only companions were servants and the castle cats.

Princess Elowen dreamed of visiting the outside world and doing all the things other young girls enjoyed. She wanted to ride bicycles, visit the sweet shop, swim in the lake and meet other young people her own age. But Elowen knew that should she leave the castle, her shiny crown would give away her identity and no one would treat her like a "normal" girl. Elowen knew that removing her crown would be strictly forbidden, doing so would be like laughing at her royal birthright.

One day her fairy godmother, Nanou appeared to her. Nanou was known throughout the land as a lover of all friends of the forest and also quite handy with a crochet hook. She suggested to Elowen that what was needed was a little "cover-up".


So Nanou got busy making hats; hats that could cover up a crown without the need to remove it.

Elowen was so happy, she couldn't wait to try on Nanou's creations. First she tried a white woolly one.

Then she tried a multi-coloured hat with a wide brim.

And a pretty hat in a jolly purple colour.

And lastly her favourite, the green and white pointy hat with two leaves at the tip.

Elowen was so grateful to Nanou for helping her taste freedom that she wanted to throw her a small party. Elowen's new forest friends the nut quintuplets, bunny and robin all joined in to help.

With Nanou's help Elowen did get to ride a bicycle, visit the sweet shop, swim in the lake and meet other young people her own age. But her parents found out she was sneaking away to the outside world and Elowen was grounded for a time. King Ash and Queen Lilac soon softened and gave Elowen some freedom to go out and explore and to be more like "normal" girls - as long as she wore her hats.

Happy Birthday Nanou!

Nini x