The Three Clever Kings facts for kids

"The Three Clever Kings" is a fun children's fairy tale. It's part of a collection called The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde. Mary de Morgan wrote this story, and Walter Crane drew the pictures. It was first published in 1886 by MacMillan & CO. Later, in 1963, it appeared in a bigger collection of Mary De Morgan's fairy tales. You can even find it as an E-book today!

Meet the Author: Mary De Morgan

Mary De Morgan was born in London, UK, in 1850. She became a very successful writer of short stories for children. Her stories were popular during the Victorian Era, a time when Queen Victoria ruled England.

Mary De Morgan wrote three main collections of stories. The first was On a Pincushion (1877). Then came The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde (1880). Her last collection was The Windfairies (1900).

She loved to create stories that went along with her brother's drawings. Mary often read her fairy tales to young children. Sadly, she passed away in Egypt in 1907.

Who Are the Characters?

This story features several interesting characters. They help make the tale exciting and teach important lessons.

The Royal Family

• King Roland: He is an old king who is very sick. He needs to choose someone to take over his kingdom. Since he has no children, he looks to his three nephews. He plans to let each nephew try being king, one after another.
• Aldovrand: He is King Roland's oldest nephew. Aldovrand is quite lazy and only thinks about himself. He doesn't really care about others.
• Aldebert: He is the middle nephew. Aldebert is usually calm and tries to please everyone. He likes to go with the flow.
• Alderete: He is the youngest nephew. Alderete is always positive, happy, and loves peace. He sees the good in things.

The King's Advisors

These characters help the king run the country. They are important but don't change much throughout the story.

• The Political Council: This group includes important people like the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, the Commander-in-Chief (who leads the army), and the Lord High Admiral (who leads the navy). They advise the king on how to govern.

Other Important People

These characters meet the nephews on their journeys.

• The Tinker: An old man who travels around fixing things like pots and pans. He is confident and polite.
• The Sweeper: A man who cleans chimneys. He is energetic, friendly, and always ready to help.
• The Farmer: A kind and patient man who works on a farm. He takes care of animals and grows crops.

What Happens in the Story?

The story follows King Roland's three nephews. They each try to rule the kingdom after their uncle passes away. Let's see how they do!

Aldovrand's Turn to Rule

Aldovrand, the oldest nephew, is the first to try being king. He is very selfish and wants to be completely independent. He doesn't like being bothered by the Prime Minister or the Chancellor. They keep asking him questions about the kingdom. Aldovrand gets annoyed and decides to run away from his royal duties. As he leaves, he meets a farmer. The farmer offers him a simple job: watching geese. Aldovrand takes the job and is happy to be free.

Aldebert's Challenges

Next, it's Aldebert's turn to be king. He faces many problems. People want higher wages for the army. The city needs repairs. And the kingdom needs to save money. Aldebert tries to make everyone happy by granting all their wishes. But this causes big disagreements among the people. Aldebert can't handle all the different opinions and conflicts. He decides to run away too. On his way out of the kingdom, he meets a tinker. The tinker offers him a job, and Aldebert happily accepts.

Alderete's Big Ideas

Finally, Alderete, the youngest nephew, gets his chance to rule. He is excited to be king and explores the kingdom. He decides that big changes are needed in how people live. But the people in the city don't like his demands. They start to protest and cause an uproar. The pressure is too much for Alderete. He gets scared and runs away. As he leaves, he meets a chimney sweeper. Alderete becomes the sweeper's helper.

The Nephews' New Lives

The Prime Minister and Chancellor are in a panic. They go back to the three nephews and beg them to return and become king. But all three nephews refuse. They are much happier with their new, simpler jobs. They realize that wealth, power, and fancy things don't bring true happiness. They prefer their peaceful new lives over the stress of being king.

What's the Story's Message?

The main message of "The Three Clever Kings" is simple but important. It teaches us that being rich, powerful, or having lots of fancy things doesn't always make you happy. Instead, true happiness comes from finding a job or a path that you truly enjoy. When you follow your interests, happiness will naturally follow.