The Other Nose Author: Terence Rajivan Edward Date: 2005 Note: not a small variation on a story I read Once upon a time, a princess was born with a nose on the back of her head, as well as a nose on the front. Her mother passed away at the sight of this other nose. Her father, the king, insisted that a veil always be worn over it. He sheltered his daughter from the public. For many years she only had contact with a few trusted subjects of his. It was the king's hope that his daughter would grow up without feeling herself to be strange. But, although the second nose was passed over in silence, she could not but realize that she was marked by an astounding difference. Aware that everyone was pretending as if she was perfectly normal, she too pretended. She would often be found withdrawn in contemplation as the alternative to moving in an atmosphere of oppressive silence. The princess grew into a beautiful woman. It was the king's dream that despite her difference, she might enter into a good marriage. He invited princes from the neighbouring lands to come to his court and meet the princess. Three princes visited the court. The first boasted that he was the bravest of all living princes. He spoke of his many heroic deeds in battle and brought treasure obtained from his conquests to offer as a gift. The second prince also boasted that he was the bravest of all living princes. He too spoke of his many heroic deeds in battle and brought treasure obtained from his conquests to offer as a gift. The third prince, however, did not say that he was the bravest of all living princes. Nor did he refer to his heroic deeds in battle. He came from a land that had been ravaged by neighbouring kingdoms. He only offered the princess two diamond nose studs. The king advised his daughter to marry either the first or the second prince. They came from wealthy kingdoms. Furthermore, they were brave men. The king feared that only the bravest of men could bear a wife with a nose on the back of her head. The princess acquiesced. She chose the first prince as her husband. The king grew fearful at the thought of his daughter's secret being discovered in a foreign land. Anything might happen to her. He insisted that she and the chosen suitor wed and live together in his castle. The wedding ceremony passed smoothly. But when the princess and her husband were finally alone together, she decided that she must reveal her secret to him. She dropped the veil from her head and turned around. At a point in the middle of the back of her head, her hair parted and a nose peeped out. The prince was horrified. He believed that he had been tricked into marrying a royal witch, a type more powerful and more deadly than any other variety. When he overcame his initial horror, he pleaded with her to let him return to his homeland without cursing him. The princess said nothing. She withdrew into her thoughts, leaving the poor prince to tremble until the morning. The next morning the marriage was annulled. For fear of being cursed, the prince never mentioned what he had seen. A year passed. During that time the king rejuvenated his dream of securing a good marriage for his daughter. Once again, he invited princes from neighbouring lands to visit his court. This time only two princes came, the ones who had been unsuccessful on the previous occasion. The king recommended that the princess marry the prince who boasted about his bravery and brought plenty of treasure. She did so, only to find that he was no braver than the first prince. When the prince and the princess were finally alone together, she decided once again that she must reveal her secret nose to her husband. 'Now I know what happened one year ago,' he said, shaking all over, before begging her to also let him go without bringing a curse upon him. The princess did not react with words. She moved away and sat by herself for the rest of the night, thinking over the pains of her fate. In the morning her second marriage was annulled. Another year passed. The king could not help but suggest that they make a third effort to secure a good marriage for his daughter. But this time there was only one prince who came to the court. It was the prince from the ravaged land, who had no deeds of bravery of which to boast and no treasure to offer. Once again he brought two diamond nose studs, a most meagre gift for a princess. The king advised his daughter to reject this poor suitor. He did not consider the prince worthy of his daughter, and he was sure that if they married it would bring her the same traumatic experience. But the princess interpreted his gift as a sign from destiny. She told her father that she must marry this prince. She reminded him of how she had followed his advice on previous occasions and that now she only wished for an opportunity to follow her own heart. Her father was a kind king. Though he disagreed with her decision, he allowed it to pass. The wedding ceremony proceeded smoothly. This time when the princess and her prince were alone together, she decided not to reveal her secret. She would wait until it was discovered. But she soon found out that it was already known to the prince. 'Why is it that you only have this little jewellery to give me? Even if your land has been ravaged, I am sure that your family has more riches to offer,' she said to her husband. 'It is true that we have much more riches to offer,' he said, 'but my mother, the queen, insisted that I bring nothing more than these two studs. She said that only then would you understand. Is it true that you have two noses?' 'Your mother must be a royal witch, for it is true indeed,' the princess replied. She wore one of the studs on the front nose. Then she removed her veil and asked that the prince pierce her other nose with the gift. Its point passed painlessly through her skin. The prince was then witness to a magical event. The nose that peeped through at the back of the princess's head slowly withdrew. Eventually all that was left where the nose had been was the glittering diamond of the nose stud and its golden rim. Soon the attendants of the princess noticed that her other nose had gone. Yet they did not remark upon it. It was passed over in silence, just as the presence of her other nose had been. But it was no longer an oppressive silence. The princess stopped wearing a veil and enjoyed a happy marriage.