He had a tough request. A humbling, haunting request that I write the child a story. Something her parents could read to her and then keep over the years. He has asked another friend who is a legitimate artist to provide illustrations. He hopes to present the bound copy to the family very soon.I have never been asked to do anything remotely like this in my life and I have never written a story for a child, let alone under these circumstances.

Below is what I am meekly offering him.

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Beatrice and the King

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Beatrice. Beatrice was five years old and a very beautiful little girl. She lived with hermommy and daddy and her little brother Michael. They all loved Beatrice very much - with their whole hearts.

One day, just before Christmas, Beatrice woke up not feeling her best. But that night, after her mommy and daddy tucked her into bed, Beatrice had a dream. A very happy and wonderful dream! In her dream, Beatrice saw a King. He was a very gentle and very loving King and he lived in a beautiful castle on a hill. In the King's yard were many happy animals and the tallest, most wonderful Christmas tree in the whole world. Dancing around the tree were smiling angels in white lace dresses and little lambs with bright, shining eyes and tiny curley-que tails.

In her dream, the King asked Beatrice if she would come to his castle to live with him. Beatrice was so excited but she was also a little bit scared. She asked the King if she could ask her mommy and daddy first and the King smiled and said that she could only come to see him if they said it was okay.

The next day, when Beatrice told her mommy and daddy all about her dream and the gentle King, they could not believe it. Beatrice's mommy and daddy looked at each other for a long time and then they smiled at Beatrice and gave her a big hug. They were so happy that Beatrice would get to see the gentle King.

The next night, when Beatrice fell asleep, she saw the King and the pretty animals and the Christmas tree and the little lambs and the angels. One of the angels said it might take her a long time to finally get to the King's castle but they would all be so happy when she got there. They promised to play games and wear pretty dresses and sing her favorite songs every day. Beatrice was so happy!

Beatrice had some work to do before she could go to see the King. She worked very hard for a long, long time and kept thinking about her happy dream. Whenever she felt sad or scared, she just closed her eyes and thought about the gentle King. Before long, all her work was done and the big day had arrived. As she lay in her bed, holding her mommy and daddy's hands, she fell asleep and waited for her dream to begin. As she dreamt, two of the most beautiful angels from the King's Christmas tree flew down to her and kissed her on the cheeks. "We love you and are so happy to see you," they said. "We can go to see the King together!"

So off they went! Over the meadows and across the fields until, finally, Beatrice saw the King's castle. She played dress up with the angels and hide and seek with the little lambs. They even made a place for Beatrice's mommy and daddy and Micheal and all her friends to live when they were lucky enough to make the trip.

When the King saw Beatrice he hugged her and pulled her into his lap. He was so gentle and sweet and he held Beatrice until she fell asleep in his arms. From that day forward, Beatrice had no more work but only play and was loved forever and ever. And what do you think was the best thing of all? Beatrice knew that one day, all good sweet people would get to live with the gentle King too - just like Beatrice.

As Beatrice snuggled with the angels and lambs, she had the biggest smile in the world because she knew how happy they all would be! And with that, she crawled back into the gentle King's lap, where she was safe and warm and the happiest girl in the whole world.