Pig Boy, or, One Hundred Kisses
Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen
Once upon a time, there was a Prince who decided to marry. He could marry any Princess he chose. He decided to marry the Emperor’s daughter.
In the Prince’s garden grew a lovely rose tree. When it bloomed the single rose smelled so sweet that anyone who sniffed it forgot all his woes and worries. The Prince also had a Nightingale. It sang so sweetly that anyone who heard it forgot all his cares and troubles.
The Prince, hoping to woo the Emperor’s daughter, took the rose and the Nightingale and packed them in two beautiful silver cases. He sent these to the Emperor’s daughter. When she received the gifts, she opened the rose and touched it, “Ouch, it is real.” Then she opened the box with the bird. The bird sang sweetly but the girl said, “Let it fly.” “I do not like real flowers or real birds.” “Tell the Prince I will not see him and no thank you for these silver boxes.”
When the Prince heard what the girl said, he had another idea. He disguised himself in rags and rubbed dirt upon his face. He pulled a cap over his head. He went to the palace and asked for a job. He was hired to look after the pigs. He lived in a little room near the pigsty. All day long he slopped the pigs and cleaned the stalls.
One evening he created a pretty little pot with bells hanging all around it. It was a magical pot, or the Prince had many skills. When any liquid in the pot began to boil, the bells rang out a lively tune and when you passed your fingers through the steam, you could smell every dish cooking in every pot in every fireplace in the kingdom. That was quite a remarkable pot.
One day the Emperor’s daughter was out walking with her ladies when she heard the pot playing its tune. She sent one of her ladies to ask the Pig Boy what he wanted for his pot. The Pig Boy Prince responded, “Ten kisses from the Emperor’s daughter.” When the Emperor’s daughter heard what the Pig Boy had asked, she stuck her nose into the air and walked away.
She had walked a short distance when she heard the sweet tune of the bells on the pot. She again sent one of her ladies to the Pig Boy asking if he would accept 10 kisses from one of her ladies. The Pig Boy said, “No thanks, I will keep my pot until I have 10 kisses from the Emperor’s daughter herself.”
The Emperor’s daughter sighed. “Well, I must have that pot.” The court ladies circled them so no one could see them. The Pig Boy came and took his 10 kisses. The Emperor’s daughter left with the pot.
For days the Emperor’s daughter played with the pot. Meanwhile, Pig Boy—was who really a Prince—decided he would make a magic rattle. When he whirled his rattle in the air, it played waltzes, polkas and minuets.
When the Emperor’s daughter heard the rattle, she clapped her hands, and all her ladiesdanced and twirled. “I must have that rattle!” she cried. She sent one of her ladies to ask what Pig Boy wants for his rattle. Pig Boy said he wanted 100 kisses from the Emperor’s daughter.
She strutted off with her nose in the air. She had walked a short distance then said, “Tell Pig Boy he can have 10 kisses like the kisses I gave him the other day and the rest of the kisses he can have from my ladies.”
But Pig Boy refused the offer, “100 kisses from the Emperor’s daughter or no rattle.” So once again the ladies circled around them and counted as the Emperor’s daughter began to kiss Pig Boy. While she was giving out her kisses, the Emperor happened to pass by. When he saw what was happening, he grabbed Pig Boy and his daughter, “Out with you both!” he said because he was very ashamed of her.
So out into the wide world they went. They stood in the rain and cold. The Emperor’s daughter wailed, “Oh I should have married the Prince who sent me the rose and the nightingale. Then I would be safe and warm at home.”
When he heard this, Pig Boy went behind a tree. He rubbed the dirt off his face, threw off his rags and dressed himself in his princely clothes. He stood before her looking very handsome.
The Emperor’s daughter gasped. She bowed down before him. “I will marry you,” she said. But the Pig Boy shook his head. “I have learned not to like you. You did not appreciate the rose or the nightingale, but you would kiss a Pig Boy to get his pot and rattle. Enjoy your gifts.” The Prince turned around and went back to his own kingdom.
From his introduction to storytelling at the 2017 Kansas City Storytelling Celebration, where he told his first story at a Story Swap, to today Rich White has embraced storytelling in a BIG way. While he tells many genres of stories: Historical, Folk, Fairy Tales, and occasionally Personal, he is best known for his Tall Tales.
He joined MO-TELL in 2018 when he first competed in the MO-TELL Missouri LiarsContest. 2018 was also when he was part of the first graduating class for the Oral Storytelling Certification classes offered by the Story Center at the Mid- Continent Public Library. He has served on the Board of Directors for River and Prairie Storyweavers (RAPS) as the Secretary for the past 6 years.
Rich has won the Missouri Liars Contest twice (last winning in July 2023), the Kansas Storytelling Festival Tall Tales contest twice (last winning in April 2024), and the Texas Storytelling Festival Liars Contest once (winning in March 2024). He is planning on competing in the 2024 MO- TELL Missouri Liars Contest so for those who haven’t heard him yet there is an opportunity to hear him and several other of the best “Liars”in Missouri in Columbia, MO on July 20th , 2024.
He has also told stories at Missouri Town 1855, done several programs for the Cass County Historical Society, at the Swapping Grounds at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesbourgh TN, and as part of the outreach activities for the RAPS Chicken Festival (where he convinced a high school senior that in Missouri you can get a driver’s license even if you have two (2) artificial eyes – he’s good). His next adventure in storytelling is that he will be telling at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park in June 2024 as part of the MO-TELL Telling at the State Parks programs.
The reason the picture shows both Rich and Alice is he said she has been his companion throughout his journey in storytelling, encouraging him all the way.
Here are some books to help you in your storytelling journey:
Telling Your Own Stories by Donald Davis. August House, 1993. In this great little book, Davis’ storyprompts draw out your personal stories. He also has a nice story structure outline. For moving from storytelling to story writing, check out Writing as a Second Language: from Experience to Story to Prose, also by Davis.
Storyteller, Storyteacher: Discovering the Power of Storytelling for Teaching and Living by Marni Gillard. Stenhouse, 1996. Not a how-to book, but a wonderfully warm “learner’s journey,” this is onestory teacher’s tale, told to encourage us all to tell stories.
Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks. New World Library, 2018. This one is full of advice for telling personal stories, by a Moth-style storyteller.
The Storytelling Coach: How to Listen, Praise, and Bring Out People’s Best by Doug Lipman. August House, 1995. You’ll find a very useful structure for encouraging others to tell stories here. Also look for Improving Your Storytelling by Lipman.
Storytelling: Process and Practice by Norma J. Livo and Sandra A. Reitz. Libraries Unlimited, 1986. (See also Storytelling Activities by the same authors.) You’ll find nuts-and-bolts advice on storytelling here.
The Storyteller’s Start-Up Book by Margaret Read MacDonald. August House, 1993.(Also look for other collections by this storyteller, such as Twenty Tellable Tales and The Parents’ Guide to Storytelling.) I recommend this simple how-to book for beginning storytellers.
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee. Harper Collins, 1997. Though this is aimed at screenwriters, you’ll find great information on crafting stories here.
The Storyteller’s Guide by Bill Mooney and David Holt. August House, 1996. Holt and Mooney interviewed storytellers around the US for this book, which houses a wealth of information on the art, craft and business of storytelling.
Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking about Difficult Stories by Loren Niemi and Elizabeth Ellis. August House, 2001. This was written by two long-time professional storytellers who don’t shy away from telling fierce stories.
The Grammar of Fantasy: An Introduction to the Art of Inventing Stories by Gianni Rodari, translated by Jack Zipes. Teachers and Writers Collaborative, 1996. This is a quirky, funny book, full of ideas on how to play with stories in unusual ways.
The Way of the Storyteller by Ruth Sawyer. Viking, 1942. A classic in the field, this book is as readable and insightful today as it was when it was first published.
These tips are from Priscilla Howe. Thanks, Priscilla!
Subsequent months will offer tips from various sources.
Contact Sue with your tips. Email suehinkel1@gmail.com or Text 314-406-0695