Prince Syaoran and Princess Sakura
By Lotus Blossom Skye
Based on the classic fairytale, Prince Omar and Princess Sheherazade
Once upon a time, on the island of Li, lived a king who was famous all over the East, well-loved by his subjects and respected even by his enemies. In spite of having a good and beautiful wife, his life was not always happy. After years of marriage, they had no children and were afraid they would never know the joy of a family.
However, at long last, one splendid spring morning, a handsome baby boy was born and his delighted parents called him Syaoran. The years went by and Syaoran grew into a fine-looking youth, brave, intelligent and kind-hearted.
On his eighteenth birthday, the Queen sent for her son.
"Syaoran, now that you've come of age, you must find a wife. Choose one of the many princesses you've met and whose only dream is of marrying you."
"Mothe," said Syaoran respectfully, "I've no intention of getting married. I'm still young and I'd rather wait till the time is ripe. I want to think about it for at least another year." The Queen agreed and Syaoran spent the year studying with the wisest and cleverest teachers in the kingdom. And though he got to know a number of girls, he did not fall in love. When twelve months had passed, the young prince was again summoned to his Mother.
"Well, son," said Queen Yelan anxiously, "when am I to announce your engagement?"
"Alas, mother, I still haven't met the right girl," was Syaoran's reply. The Queen lost her temper.
"Xiao-Lang! You must stop wasting time. You're a grown man now and I want to see your heirs. Think of the future and make up your mind without delay."
"I'm sorry, motheer, I can't do that just yet. I'm not in love and so I can't get married." The Queen, who could not bear to be crossed in such an important matter, went into a rage. She shouted for the guards and ordered them to shut the prince in an old castle in the forest.
In the meantime, lovely sweet-natured Princess Sakura was a maiden whose home was in Japan. When she became sixteen years old, her father insisted she marry one of the princes that flocked to court her. But Sakura was waiting to meet a true love. And since nothing the king, her father, did served to change her mind, he locked the princess up in one of the palaces.
"I'd rather be a prisoner," said the princess, "than have a husband I didn't love."
Meantime, Syaoran spent lonely sad days in the castle where he was held prisoner. However, two invisible genies, Nakuru and Yukito were amusing themselves, unknown to the prince, by secretly watching his movements. One day Nakuru said to her friend, "Syaoran is the most handsome person in the whole world."
"Not so!" exclaimed Yukito. "The most beautiful person in the world is Sakura, the King of Japan's daughter." The genies started to argue, then decided to ask Rika, the daughter of the genie king to judge the matter.
Rika's advice was this, "Go to Japan, cast a sleeping spell over the princess and bring her to Syaoran's castle. When you see them together, then you'll soon see which is the most beautiful." That very night Nakuru and Yukito flew all the way to China. The two genies sent the princess to sleep and carried her to Syaoran's castle.
"They're so lovely, they seem made for each other," remarked the genies, gazing at the two young people together. "If only they could get to know each other . . ." And in the hope that they might, the genies hid behind a curtain and waited . . .
Not long afterwards, Sakura opened her eyes and, when she saw Syaoran at her side, her heart began to thump. This was the man she would like to marry. So she took off one of her ring and slipped it on to his finger as a token of love. Then she went back to sleep. On awakening a little later, Syaoran set eyes on Sakura and was overwhelmed by her beauty.
"If this girl is as kind as she is beautiful, she would make a wonderful wife," said Syaoran to himself as he gazed at her in amazement. Then he took off a ruby ring and slipped it onto the princess's finger. Drowsy again, he fell asleep. Nakuru and Yukito crept out from behind the curtain, wide-eyed.
"They've fallen in love," said Yukito. "What are we to do now?"
"Take Sakura home again. But if they have really fallen in love, they'll move heaven and earth to meet again."
And so, when Syaoran awoke, Sakura had vanished. Confused and upset, the prince asked his guards and servants if they had seen her. When the Queen heard the story, she told Syaoran, "My lad, you are losing your head over a girl you dreamed about!"
"No, she wasn't a dream," the prince insisted. "This is the ring she left me!" Sakura was lovesick. The Queen called doctors and wise men, but there was nothing they could do, for Syaoran was losing his will to live.
And far away, Sakura was pining in sorrow. The king was certain his daughter must have dreamt it all. How otherwise could she have met the mysterious young man? The only person who believed the princess was Eriol, a childhood friend, andshe offered to search for the missing youth. Sakura handed her Syaoran's ruby ring. Eriol set out that same day but, though he travelled far and wide, no one could give him a clue as to the young man's identity.
In the meantime, Nakuru and Yukito secretly followed in her tracks. One day, a merchant told Eriol that, on the Kingdom of Li, there was a lovesick prince. Feeling that this might be the very person she was seeking, Eriol took a passage on a ship bound for Li. After days of sailing, a terrible storm broke, driving the ship onto a reef, where it sank. Clinging to a floating spar, Eriol held on till the storm died away, then headed for the shore. The beach was deserted, but in the distance he could see the turrets of a castle. Then, as he was getting his strength back, he saw a horseman approach.
"Where am I?" Eriol asked the stranger.
"At the Kingdom of Li," replied the horseman. "Who are you?" Eriol jumped to his feet.
"I'm a doctor, and famous in my own land. I hear that a prince here is seriously ill, and I'd like to try and cure him."
"Yes," replied the horseman, "Prince Syaoran is indeed seriously ill, but it seems his illness is fatal."
Disturbed by his words, Eriol sald, "Take me to him straight away." When admitted to Syaoran's presence, without saying a word, Eriol showed him the ruby ring. Syaoran uttered a shriek and leapt to his feet. The onlookers stared in surprise.
"This is the ring I gave to the girl I want to marry!" the prince exclaimed joyfully.
"That young lady is Sakura. She lives in far off Japan and is dying to see you again," Eriol told him instantly. Syaoran was delighted. In finding the girl of his dreams, he would be truly happy.
He presented Eriol with a jewelled and a splendid horse, as fast as the wind, as a token of thanks. Then he told her to take him as quickly as could be to the beautiful princess. Overcoming all the difficulties that it had to face during the long journey, the cheerful procession led by Syaoran and Eriol, many days later, reached distant Japan. When they reached Sakura's city, Omar announced his arrival by sending a messenger with a letter for the princess and a diamond ring.
At long last, the couple had met again. They exchanged their first, affectionate words and found they really were meant for each other. Sure of their feelings and anxious to start a new life together, Syaoran and Sakura quickly asked the king's permission to get married as soon as possible.
The invisible genies, Nakuru and Yukito, were at the wedding, a few days later.
"Sakura really is lovely!" Yukito exclaimed.
"Yes, but Syaoran . . ." said Nakuru.
"Are you looking for an argument again?" demanded Yukito. Just then, Rika, the genie king's daughter appeared.
"We still haven't decided which is the better-looking," said Yukito and Nakuru.
"Well, I'd say they are the best-looking couple in the world," said Rika. "And I'm certain their children will be even more handsome."
And so the argument finally ended to everybody's satisfaction, and the two genies hugged each other contentedly.
As for Eriol, he had met a young lady named Tomoyo, and they fell in love. That goes to show that everyone lived happily every after.
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