The Professor of Practical Jokes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "The Professor of Practical Jokes" |
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Illustration by Mrs. Percy Dearmer
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| Author | Evelyn Sharp |
| Country | Britain |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Literary fairy tale |
| Published in | All the Way to Fairyland. Fairy Stories. First Edition. |
| Publication type | Fairy tale collection |
| Publisher | John Lane |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 1898 |
| Preceded by | "The Wonderful Toymaker" |
| Followed by | "The Doll that Came Straight From Fairyland" |
"The Professor of Practical Jokes" is a fun fairy tale written in 1898 by Evelyn Sharp. She was a British writer and a suffragist, meaning she worked for women's right to vote. This story is about a good but very boring king. He gets tricked into marrying a woman who brings lots of excitement to his dull kingdom. The story is part of Sharp's book, All The Way To Fairyland: Fairy Stories.
Contents
What Happens in the Story
The story starts with a king named Grumbelo. He rules his kingdom well, and his people like him. But everyone finds him super boring! His kingdom is just too quiet.
The King Needs a Queen
One day, some of his helpers, called courtiers, talk to him. One of them is the "Professor of Practical Jokes." They suggest the king should get married. They think a queen would make the kingdom more exciting. King Grumbelo doesn't really want to, but he agrees. He has some strange rules for his future wife. She must be the most beautiful, the most silent, and the most foolish princess in the world.
Searching for the Perfect Princess
The king's helpers start looking for princesses. They bring many beautiful ones to King Grumbelo. But he says no to all of them. Why? Because they are not silent enough!
After failing, the helpers go back to the king. They tell him about a princess who fits all his rules. But there's a problem: she doesn't want to marry him! She has run away from the kingdom.
The King's Adventure
King Grumbelo is very curious. He can't believe someone wouldn't want to marry him! So, he decides to go find her himself. He searches for a long time. Finally, he finds a small house in a forest. A dragon guards the house.
The king talks to the dragon. He learns that a woman named Lady Whimsical lives in the house. She doesn't seem interested in marrying the king. But she says he can visit her for a little while each day.
A Change of Heart
The king visits Lady Whimsical every day. He is very determined. But after a while, he gets tired of her silence. He loses his patience and runs away! He then realizes something important. He actually wants a wife who talks!
A wise old woman from the forest helps him. She tells him to go back to Lady Whimsical. King Grumbelo decides to admit he was foolish.
The Big Secret
Lady Whimsical is happy to see him. She welcomes him back. Then, she shares a secret! She hid herself on purpose. She heard the king was looking for a princess. She wanted him to find her! There was no other princess. She was the daughter of the Professor of Practical Jokes!
King Grumbelo and Lady Whimsical go back to the kingdom. They get married, and everyone is super happy! The kingdom is boring no more.
Meet the Characters
King Grumbelo
He is the main character of the story. King Grumbelo is young, handsome, and good at ruling. But he is also very, very boring!
The Royal Comptroller of Whole Holidays
This is one of King Grumbelo's helpers. He doesn't have much to do because the king is so serious. He announces a big holiday for everyone while the king is away.
The Professor of Practical Jokes
Another one of the king's helpers. He comes up with the clever plan. He tricks King Grumbelo into marrying his own daughter, Lady Whimsical.
The Dragon
This dragon lives outside Lady Whimsical's house. It talks for her and guards her home.
Lady Whimsical
She is the daughter of the Professor of Practical Jokes. She hides from the king so he will search for her. She wants him to think she is the perfect princess. She becomes his queen.
About the Author: Evelyn Sharp
Evelyn Sharp (1829–1955) was mostly a journalist. But she also wrote many other things! She wrote fantasy stories, novels, and even a book about dance. She also wrote about children and wrote her own life story.
Sharp had a great idea about writing for kids. She said that stories should make children "feel on a level with the author." This means she wanted kids to feel like they were just as smart as the writer.
Her books Wymps and Other Fairy Tales (1897) and All the Way to Fairyland (1897) are very playful. They like to turn things upside down! Sharp enjoyed writing about "anti-fairies," which she called 'wymps'. These characters often played practical jokes and caused fun chaos.
About the Story Collection
All the Way to Fairyland: Fairy Stories is a book full of short stories for children. It also has many cool pictures. Here are some of the other stories you can find in the collection:
- The Country Called Nonamia
- Why the Wymps Cried
- The Story of Honey and Sunny
- The Little Princess and the Poet
- The Wonderful Toymaker
- The Professor of Practical Jokes
- The Doll that Came Straight From Fairyland
- Those Wymps Again!
