Long ago - about 1976, lived a little girl named Chalyse. She loved to talk fast, sing loud and laugh. She also loved her hair - braided into cornrows. Chalyse also loved to read - all sorts of thing but her favorite stories were fairy tales.

Chalyse would read her fairy tales and imagine herself as the princess with long flowing dresses and beautiful cornrows on her head. She wold writie down her stories and force/encourage her brother to draw the pictures.

One day the thing Chalyse had looked forward to happened. She was going to go to school. Chalyse planned her day carefully - she would sit calmly on the rug but after roll call she was headed for the library.

Chalyse made it to school. Listening to her teacher she thought - "This woman is strange". She managed to make it to the library found the fairy tale section - pulled out her books and began to read. She noticed something strange - None of the princesses looked like her. They had the long gowns but something was wrong with their hair.

Chalyse went to ask her teacher about the books. Her teacher said "Princesses do not wear cornrows." She decided to ask some smarter people. The janitor smiled and said " Your teacher is right." The secretary looked up from her typing and said " You don't look like a princess." Chalyse was beginning to get worried her cornrows did not seem so wonderful after all.

When Chalyse came home from school - she sat in front of the mirror. Her mother noticed that she no longer talked fast, sang loud or laughed. Her mother asked " What did you learn in school today." Chalyse told her about the teacher, and the books. Her mother picked her up, gave her a kiss and had her look at herself in the mirror. "Only a true queen can see a true princvess. I am the true queen and you are truly a princess with beautiful cornrows." Then Chalyse and her mother, had a tea party where they talked fast, sang loud and danced.


:kiss:

that we must instill dignity and self-respect in our children, so they will already know who they are when they have to face an ignorant world beyond our doors.

Excellent story, Ms. GwenDee.

BRB

in that voice, Ms. GwenDee! This is one for children's story time, no doubt! Thoroughly enjoyed the lesson Chalyse's mama taught her about her true 'self'!

thank you for lending your many talents so freely! :D

a

This is a very lovely story. I agree with Alyce. How nice this would be for young African American children to read when they are at their most impressible age. Perhaps they would recognize the true beauty in themselves and their people. I enjoyed the read.

Madd Sistahly Love :heart:
CCBSKYN

With so much negativity in this world
about our culture, it has to be up to
the parents to instill positive images
to our kids. This was a very good story,
with much wisdom. I was put in the
the situation to talk to my kids about
their complexion, when they were
about 8 and 10 because other kids
would question their ethnic background.....
They are a light skinned.

Very good read.....:toast:

Epiphany :heart:

a very deep story indeed and what we instill in the children today
will carry them wish it was a pt.2 to this one .....tyte write

oh my, this was a beautiful story. I liked the line where you put the daughter wanted to ask someone smarter than the teacher, so she went to the janitor.

such an uplifting and beautiful story indeed

Thank you so much for your remarks

GwenDee

Hello Queen GwenDee !!!! :wave:

This is a beautiful story! Sad too, that so many of our daughters start out with positive images of themselves, only to step foot out of their protected environments, to find that the world doesn't view them, as they view themselves!

But this story had a very happy ending ... and so too can the many real life experiences our daughters are living!

I noticed that this story has been here since 2001 and i'm just now reading it! Gosh!

God is Good, that it is still here, that we are still here ... to enjoy each other's Spirit!

Thank you Queen GwenDee for sharing with us.

:heart:

Destee

one great story a classic here ......check it out !