The Most Beautiful Place in the World

Princess Seraphim lived in a country full of beautiful, glittery things. Her castle was made of jewels. Her knights had armour as shiny as fish scales. The trees in her orchards were decorated with silver and gold and mirrors to reflect sunlight. Every day, when Princess Seraphim looked around her, she would sigh happily. "I live in the most beautiful place in the world!" She would say.
One day, she received a letter in the mail. It was from her cousin, Princess Angelaria. "Dear Cousin," it read. "I wish you could see my country! Everyday I think it is the most beautiful place in the world! Do come and visit! I would be proud to show you my lovely home!"
Princess Seraphim was very surprised! Could there be a place more beautiful than her own country? She looked out the window.
It was as shiny and bright and glittery as ever. How could Princess Angelaria live somewhere more beautiful than that? She decided to go see for herself. She packed her sparkly bags full of shimmery clothes and put them in her jewel-encrusted carriage. And off she went! She travelled all day and all night, and the next morning, she arrived at her cousin's castle.
But it wasn't glittery at all! It looked like it was made out of rainbows. One tower was purple and the other was pink and the flags were blue and the door was green! Princess Angelaria opened the green door and came out with a big smile on her face.
"Princess Seraphim! I'm so glad you're here!" She cried happily, "Now you can see my beautiful country! I'll show you right away!"
She took Princess Seraphim by the arm and proudly showed her the rainbow castle and her knights in colourful armour and her orchards, where all the trees were full of fruits of every shade.
When they were done, she sighed, "Isn't it lovely?"
"Well...," said Princess Seraphim. "It's...nice. But my country is much more sparkly."
"Is it more colourful?" Asked Princess Angelaria.
"No," admitted Princess Seraphim.
"Then mine must be more beautiful!" Princess Angelaria decided.
Princess Seraphim didn't agree. She was just opening her mouth to say so, when she was interrupted by the Royal Mailman, who arrived with a letter from their other cousin, Princess Jasminthy.
"Dear cousins," it read. "I wish you could both see my beautiful country! Everyday, I think it is the most beautiful place in the world! Do come and visit! I would be proud to show you my lovely home!"
"Could it be more lovely than my glittery country?" Wondered Princess Seraphim.
"Surely, it isn't lovelier than my colourful country?" Wondered Princess Angelaria.
Princess Seraphim put her sparkly bags back into her bejeweled carriage.
Princess Angelaria put her red and yellow bags in her green and orange carriage.
They travelled all night and all day and all night again, and the morning after, they arrived at Princess Jasminthy's castle.
But it wasn't glittery! It wasn't even colourful! The castle was made of plain old grey stone, and was completely covered in ivy. Out stepped Princess Jasminthy, with a big smile on her face.
"Princess Seraphim! Princess Angelaria! I'm so glad you're here!" She cried happily, "Now I can show you my beautiful country! Come look!"
She grabbed them both by their hands, and showed them her ivy-covered castle and her knights in polished wooden armour, and her orchard filled with ordinary -but delicious- fruit.
When they were done, she sighed, "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Well...,"said her two cousins. "It certainly is nice..."
"But it's not glittery like mine," finished Princess Seraphim.
"And it's not colourful like mine," added Princess Angelaria.
"Are there more plants? Does the fruit taste as sweet?" questioned Princess Jasminthy.
"No," said the other two princesses.
"In that case, I think mine must be the most beautiful," she decided.
With that, the three beautiful princesses from three beautiful countries began to argue. They argued for hours and hours, but none of them could convince her cousins that hers was the most beautiful place.
They argued until their voices were sore, and they had to whisper-
Finally, an ugly old woman came along. "What foolishness is going on here?" She asked, "What are you arguing about?"
The three princesses all answered at once, "My home is the most beautiful!"
"Well!" Laughed the old woman, "I live in a little cottage in the forest. I am very poor, so my cottage is very plain. I live all alone, except for my goat. My garden is very small. But, everyday, I look around, and I think I live in the most beautiful place in the world."
The princesses thought about this.
"Oh, I think I understand!" Said Princess Seraphim, after a moment, "Different people think different things are beautiful!"
"I see!" Said Princess Angelaria, "If we didn't think our homes were beautiful, we wouldn't choose to live there!"
"I get it now!" Said Princess Jasminthy, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"
So they all went to their different homes and they all were happy, knowing that each of them lived in the most beautiful place in the world.