There was once a king with a terrible secret. He was so ashamed of it, he couldn’t even share it with his best friend, Sidney. In fact, the only person who ever knew was the person who cut his hair. For, hidden under his crown, the king had...donkey’s ears! Every month, the king had his hair cut. Each time, a new hairdresser was summoned to the palace and gasped as the king removed his crown. As soon as his haircut was finished, the king sent the unfortunate hairdresser to jail so his secret didn’t get out. In July, it was Meg’s turn. She had several friends who had cut the king’s hair and never been seen again. Meg was shocked when she saw the king’s ears, but she didn’t say so. ‘Oh! What l-lovely hair Your Majesty has.’ Quickly, she took out her comb and scissors and got to work. Meg was an excellent hairdresser. But as soon as she had finished, the king called for a guard. ‘Take her to jail!’ “Jail?” Said Meg. “Didn’t you like the haircut? Please don’t send me to jail. My mother is sick. She needs me.” The king thought of his own mother. She would be horrified if he sent this poor girl to jail leaving her mother to fend for herself. He didn’t even like putting people in jail, but he had to keep his secret. “Do you promise that you will never, ever tell a single person about my...” He coughed,”ears?” He said hurriedly. Meg threw herself at his feet. “I promise! I promise! If only you’ll let me go, I won’t tell anyone.” That night in bed, Meg could think of only one thing. “The king has donkey’s ears! The king has donkey’s ears!” It was such a fantastic, ludicrous, enormous secret, she simply had to share it. “I’m going to burst if I don’t tell!” At last, she had an idea. The king had made her promise not tell a person. So she wouldn’t tell a person... she’d tell a tree. Unable to wait. She ran to the forest in her nightgown and whispered to the trunk of the first tree she reached. “The king’s got donkey’s ears!” At once, Meg felt better. She had let the secret out but no one would ever know. A few weeks later, a woodcutter came along. He chopped down several trees - including the tree Meg had whispered to. This might not have mattered, but the tree was sawn into wood and the wood was sold to a man who made harps. Soon after that, the king gave a concert. Everyone was eager to hear the star of the show. Helena, play her new harp. But, as a Helena plucked the strings, the strangest song came out, sung in a high, warmly voice. “The king’s got donkey’s ears... The king’s got donkey’s ears...” The king was furious. He leaped from his throne. “You told my secret,” he roared at Meg. The king’s best friend came over. “Do you mean your ears?” Said Sidney. “They’re not a secret. We all know.” “And you don’t mind?” asked the king. “Of course not!” Sidney declared. “No other kingdom has a king with such a remarkable feature.” So the king let all the hairdressers out of jail that very day. And he learned to love his ears just as they were.