Once upon a time, believe it or not, a dashing prince was ensnared by a rather peculiar spell, one might say the most frustrating of all incantations. You see, our prince could only utter a single word each year. Yes, indeed, just one measly word.
Now, imagine the patience required! If he opted to stay silent for two entire years, he’d be rewarded with two words the following year. What a deal! Well, fate has a way of shaking things up, and on one fateful day, our prince found himself hopelessly in love with a breathtakingly beautiful lady. Sparks flew, time stopped—oh, you know the drill.
Determined to express his undying affection, our prince made an uncharacteristic decision. He zipped his lips for two whole years. That’s right, not a peep for 730 days, so he could muster the heartfelt utterance, “my darling.” Oh, but his ambitions didn’t stop there. He yearned to declare his love, oh those sweet words every heart pines to hear!
So, what did he do? Well, he braved through three more years of silence. That makes five years of non-stop verbal abstinence! Why, you might ask? Simple! To tell the lady he adored, “I love you.” His mission, however, was far from complete.
The prince realized he needed to pop the big question. Yes, you’ve guessed it—an epic proposal! Thus began another stretch of silence. Four more years, to be precise, until he had earned the right to ask those defining words, “Will you marry me?” Count ’em, folks—a staggering nine years of waiting, of patience, and oh, the mother of all silences!
At last, the grand moment arrived! The prince, armed with a treasury of words, led his beloved to what could only be described as the most romantic nook in the entire kingdom. Quiet waterfalls, chirping birds, the whole shebang. The scene was set.
With a heart full of hope and trembling anticipation, he spoke, “My darling, I love you! Will you marry me?” Oh, the joy! Oh, the romance! Oh, the… anticlimax.
For the lady, bless her heart, responded with a slightly puzzled, “Pardon?”
Ah, the irony of love and life.
