Once upon a time there was a handsome prince named Tadin. He was four years old, and he had blond hair and blue eyes. He wore a green cape, a red hat with a green feather, and golden boots.

One day he came down the stairs from his princely chamber, where he slept with his royal teddy bear, in the light of his royal night light. He sat down on his breakfast throne and waited while the cook served him his favorite breakfast. It was:

• warm hot chocolate, (hot chocolate, but not too hot),
  
• waffles with maple syrup
  
• and juice.

His mother, Queen Mommy, sipped her coffee while she sat across from him. "Good morning, Prince Tadin," said Queen Mommy.

"Good morning, Mommy," said Prince Tadin.

"I had a most dreadful sleep last night, Prince Tadin. All night long, a nasty mosquito buzzed around my room, landing on me, biting me, and buzzing in my ear. I had a horrid sleep. I tossed and turned all night. Could you go to my room after breakfast and deal with the nasty mosquito for me?"

"Of course, Mommy. You can count on me. May I finish my royal waffles first?"

"Oh please do, son. You need your royal strength."

So, after breakfast, Prince Tadin wiped his lips with a royal napkin, straightened his green cape and cocked his red hat with the green feather, and made the long climb up the crystal staircase to Queen Mommy's room.

Sure enough, when he entered, he saw a nasty mosquito buzzing against the window, trying to escape.

"Mosquito! I have come to deal with you, at the request of Queen Mommy. She has told me that you bothered her all night, biting and buzzing and making her sleep most unpleasant. You must be punished!"

"Oh no!" cried the very small mosquito. "I had no idea that she was the Queen. Had I known, I would never have come in here. Please your majesty, let me go, and I will never bother her again!" With that, the little mosquito began to wimper and cry piteously.

Prince Tadin was a very kind prince, with a soft heart. "Well, naughty mosquito, I am a sympathetic prince. I am sure you want to go back to your family. Very well, I shall open the window. You may go home. But you must promise never to bother the Queen again!" The mosquito agreed that indeed, he would never bother the queen again. Prince Tadin opened the window and the little mosquito flew away, buzzing a happy buzz.

The rest of the day Prince Tadin worked very hard. He made royal mudpies. He pushed the royal toy trucks up and down the royal lawn. He rode the royal bicycle and skated on his royal skates.

At the end of the day, he enjoyed a royal dinner of fishsticks, french fries and ketchup, while sitting with Queen Mommy and King Daddy (who had been at the royal office all day.)

"Well Queen Mommy and King Daddy, I guess I should turn in. I had a very long day. I have to polish my golden boots. Good night." They exchanged royal kisses and hugs. He smiled his handsomest smile, straightened his green cape, cocked his red hat with the green feather and climbed the crystal staircase to his royal bedroom.

After his royal bath, he put on his royal pajamas and climbed into his royal bed under the green covers with the red trim. He tossed. He turned. He realized that he was HOT.

So he opened the window. And who do you think came in?

The naughty mosquito!

Prince Tadin was very sleepy and at first he didn't notice. But then the naughty mosquito buzzed next to his ear. It landed on his nose. It bit him on the neck!

"Who dares disturb my sleep?" said Prince Tadin, sitting up.

"It's me again! I missed you!" said the naughty mosquito, laughing nastily.

"Mosquito, you have disobeyed my orders! I thought I told you to never come back again."

"You told me to never bother the Queen again," he said. His skinny shoulders shook with laughter.

"I'm sorry naughty mosquito. I must give you a royal spank." And with that, Prince Tadin said, "Bend over." The mosquito humbly obeyed, bent over and Prince Tadin gave him one royal SPANK!

There was a brief moment of silence, and then the mosquito said, "Ow."

Prince Tadin got out his first aid kit and put a large bandaid on the mosquito's bottom. "You see what happens when you don't mind?" he said firmly.

"Yes, sire."

"Now return to your family, and never bother the queen or me again," Prince Tadin said, solemnly.

The naughty mosquito flew out the window. As he reached home, he thought, "Gee whiz. Prince Tadin didn't mention the king!" The mosquito's naughty shoulders shook with naughty laughter, because, you see, he was COMING BACK!