A Tiny Princess Takes a Bow

About this drawing

A cute little princess makes a good place to ask a big question: what is a princess, anyway? A princess is usually the daughter of a king or queen. A woman can also become one by marrying a prince.

The word is very old. It comes from Latin, the language of ancient Rome. The Romans said princeps, which means the first one. That makes a prince or princess someone near the very top of a kingdom.

Storybook princesses seem to have it easy. They get castles, crowns, and dresses as big as a tent! Real ones had homework. Many of them learned several languages so they could talk with visitors from other countries. They studied music, history, and good manners, often from a very young age.

Good manners included the curtsy. To curtsy, you hold your skirt, bend your knees a little, and dip down. It is a polite way to say hello to someone important. Most people in America never do this today, but you can still spot it at the ballet. Dancers often curtsy at the end of a show to thank the crowd for clapping. Want to try one? Bend your knees, smile big, and say hello.

• princesses
• crowns
• preschool
• gowns