The Princess and the Sphinx
by Rebecca Hardin
Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there was a princess named Charlotte. Charlotte had many beautiful things: a nice palace, lots of jewels, and many pretty gowns. However, no prince from the neighboring kingdoms would to marry her. They were scared by how smart she was. She preferred reading to sewing, learning how to solve riddles to dancing, and learning from the royal lawyer to learning etiquette. Her father did not approve of her use of time, and her mother approved even less. The king and queen tried to dumb Charlotte down in hopes that some suitable prince would marry her, but she refused to listen to them. She exaggerated her intelligence around potential suitors because she wanted someone who would look past her black hair, pretty green eyes, and slim figure and love her for who she was inside, intelligence and all. Although she hadn’t found a prince who could do this, she hadn’t given up hope.
One day, the king formed a hunting party. They went into the nearby forest and hunted wild boars. Unfortunately, as the king was taking down a boar, he almost trampled a sleeping sphinx with his horse. He pulled the horse away, but as he turned away the sphinx tilted her head and looked directly into the king’s eyes. Then she turned and left.
The next day, the sphinx waltzed out of the forest and sat down in front of the kingdom’s gates. She blocked people’s entry and exit from the kingdom, and before long, all trade had been knocked out. The royal pantry had enough food stored for a season, but if trade didn’t resume soon, everyone would starve. Charlotte looked down at the beast from her window, as her mother came into her room.
“Charlotte, dear? I just wanted you to know there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried, Mother. I just want to know what a sphinx is doing blocking the front gate.”
“Oh, is that what it is? A sphinx?”
“Yes. They usually come when someone has angered them. Has father recently angered this sphinx? And what is being done to get rid of it?”
“As I heard it, your father nearly trampled the sphinx as it lay sleeping. I believe your father is trying to talk to it. But, it just repeats a riddle. Silly creature won’t reason with anyone.”
“Mother, may I try talking to it?” Charlotte asked, hopefully.
“No, darling, this is a matter for men who know what they are doing,” responded the queen with a hint of shock in her voice.
“Of course Mother,” responded Charlotte in a neutral tone.
That night, Charlotte snuck into the library and grabbed a reference book. She looked up the sphinx. As she flipped through the pages on the creature, she reviewed the basics: sphinxes were female in appearance, having a human-ish face, and lion characteristics everywhere else. She flipped to the page dealing with their personalities, and noticed that sphinxes killed if their riddles were answered incorrectly. She carefully put the book back, and returned to her room to think about the situation.
Word soon spread to the neighboring kingdoms that a sphinx had sat in front of Charlotte’s father’s kingdom. It was rumored that anyone who could get rid of the sphinx could marry Charlotte, and that she would have no say in her marriage. Princes came from all around, determined to drive the sphinx away, hoping for Charlotte’s hand in marriage. With the princes came one philosopher-in-training named Fritz. The princes tried valiantly to drive the sphinx away, but none could answer the riddle and all died. Fritz watched the situation, and approached the sphinx.
“Oh wise sphinx, what is your riddle?”
“What is stronger than Death, and is peaceful in nature, yet has caused one of the most famous wars? It is eternal, but it arrives at the whim of an arrow. And finally, it blinds those it affects. I will give you three guesses; if you guess wrong three times I will kill you as I did the others. You can walk away without answering without incurring any harm, and you can ask me to repeat the riddle as many times as you like.”
“Is it time?” replied Fritz after a long pause.
“No.”
“Is it religion?”
“No.”
Fritz decided to walk away, and search for the infamous Princess Charlotte to see exactly how smart she really was. He had his doubts.
That night, Charlotte sneaked out of her room and found a ladder. She climbed over a hedge, and nearly fell on top of Fritz.
“Oomph, who are you?” grunted Fritz.
“My name is Charlotte, who are you?”
“Ah, the great intellect?” asked Fritz sarcastically.
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I asked you who you are.”
“My name is Fritz. I take it you know what a sphinx is?”
“Yes. What is the riddle?”
Fritz repeated the riddle to her.
Charlotte didn’t speak for several minutes. Finally, she replied.
“Is it religion?”
“No,” replied Fritz shocked that her answer had matched his.
“Well, then is it love?” Charlotte asked.
Fritz thought for a minute.
“Love fits perfectly! You’re amazing,” said Fritz in an amazed tone. “I apologize for doubting you.”
“Apology accepted,” smiled Charlotte noticing for the first time that Fritz’s eyes were a very clear blue. She couldn’t help but note that they contrasted ever so nicely with his pale skin and dark hair. Charlotte became aware that she’d been staring at him. She quickly turned to stare at a nearby tree.
“Well, what do we do now?” asked Charlotte.
“We aren’t going to do anything. I’m going to talk to the sphinx, and see if the answer is correct,” said Fritz.
“Let me go with you,” said Charlotte, finding that she would be very upset if the answer was wrong. “I mean, I did think of the possible answer,” Charlotte said trying to cover up the true reason why she wanted to go with Fritz.
“Don’t worry Charlotte; but if we were wrong, I’d prefer if you didn’t see me die. Besides, I’m pretty sure love is the answer,” Fritz replied plainly trying to calm Charlotte down.
“Ok Fritz, I will stay here. I want you to come back as soon as you’ve finished.”
Fritz turned and walked away. Charlotte could hear his voice ask the sphinx to repeat the riddle. Fritz gave her answer, and no sound came for a moment. Finally, Charlotte heard the padding of huge paws as the Sphinx made for the forest. After a minute, Fritz came back into view. Charlotte ran to him, and he gave her a big hug.
After several months, the kingdom was decorated all over for the wedding of Charlotte and Fritz. The king and queen were very pleased that Charlotte was finally getting married, and Charlotte was happy that she had finally found someone who appreciated her intelligence and loved her for who she was.
