A princess bedtime story: Isla and the castle kitten

Ages 3 to 7 · 4 min read aloud

Princess Isla and the Star Kitten

On a green hill stood a castle with four towers and a blue flag. That is where Princess Isla lived. Isla liked wearing her soft yellow dress and her old boots, and she had a special gift: when she opened her hands, a small warm light appeared, like a little golden ball.

That evening Isla was already in her big bed with its red curtains. She was just about to close her eyes when she noticed something missing. At the foot of the bed there was no Sniff. Sniff was the castle kitten, white with one black ear. He always slept by her feet.

‘Where are you, Sniff?’ Isla whispered. She climbed out of bed, put on her slippers and opened her hands. There was the light, soft and golden. Holding it carefully, she stepped out into the corridor.

The corridor was long and quiet. Old paintings of kings and queens hung on the walls. They all looked a little sleepy. By the stairs stood the guard, snoring gently against a pillar. ‘Goodnight, guard,’ Isla whispered.

The kitchen still smelled of warm bread rolls. The cook sat in his chair by the fire, his hat tipped sideways on his head. He had fallen asleep. Isla laid a blanket over his knees. But Sniff wasn’t there.

She went outside to the stables. The horses stood in their stalls with their eyes half closed. The white horse snorted softly as Isla passed. ‘Have you seen Sniff?’ she asked. The horse slowly turned its head towards the tallest tower.

Isla climbed the spiral staircase. Round and round and round. Her light shone on the old stone walls. Right at the top was a little window. And there, on the windowsill, sat Sniff. He was gazing out at a sky full of stars.

‘Sniff,’ said Isla softly. The kitten looked round and mewed. Isla sat down beside him. Together they looked out. The stars twinkled over the hills, over the forest and over the lake. It was so lovely that Isla said nothing for a while.

‘Did you want to see the stars?’ she whispered. Sniff purred. Isla held up her hands and let her light blink very gently. For a moment it looked as if one of the stars winked back.

Then Sniff yawned, a big kitten yawn. Isla yawned too. ‘Come on,’ she said. She picked Sniff up and carried him carefully down the stairs. Round and round and round, slowly all the way down.

Back in her room, Isla snuggled under the covers again. Sniff curled up at the foot of the bed, right in his favourite spot. Isla closed her hands. The light grew smaller and smaller, until it was gone.

Through the window the moon shone on the castle. The guard snored. The cook dreamed of bread rolls. The horses slept in the stables. Sniff purred a little longer, and then all was quiet. Goodnight, Princess Isla. Goodnight, Sniff. Sleep tight.