Stephen, the Slow-Top

Miss Bellamy’s school was a good place for the children to study. She had only one student who was so slow that it was with great difficulty that he had finally passed out of school. This was Stephen, the Slow-Top! Miss Bellamy was very relieved. She sent him to the blacksmith where he got a job. Stephen loved horses and became very good at shoeing them. The Royal Groom was so impressed that he took Stephen to the king’s stables to work as a groom. He was asked to go with Princess Anne when she rode. She liked him and he was made an attendant in the palace! The princess began to love him for his gentle nature. One day, she told the king that she wished to marry Stephen. The king was startled, but as he got to know Stephen’s fine qualities, he agreed. And thus Stephen became a prince!