This is the third story in our series of three vocation “storybooks.” To read the first two stories, click here and here. There you’ll also find the origins of this storybook project. And now we bring you the third and final tale of a little girl who met the Great King!

Part 3: The Little Girl Who Loved Presents

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved presents.

Do you like presents? Birthday presents, Christmas presents, just-because-I love-you-presents...They are all wonderful, aren’t they?

But even more than getting presents, what the little girl really loved was to give.

She loved wrapping things up in shiny paper and big, bright bows.

She loved to see people filled with surprise and joy when they opened the packages.

Most of all, she loved to pick out just the right gift for her friends, family, and neighbors. She was very careful to look and listen to everything they said, so she could find the perfect gift for each one. Gifts were such wonderful things; she wished that she could give them to everyone in the whole world!

One day, the girl was hurrying down the street with an especially big package for her best friend’s birthday. The box was so big, she couldn’t see where she was going, and she ran right into someone on the sidewalk. In her surprise, she dropped the box.

CRASH!

She was even more surprised to see who she had bumped into. It was the Great King, with a crown and a robe and the gentlest smile.

“Oh excuse me,” she stammered, “I’m sorry Your Majesty, I did not see you!”

“Not to worry, little girl,” replied the King. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“I am taking this present to my friend for her birthday. I can’t wait for her to open it, it is something she has been wanting for a long time, and I found this wonderful big bow for the package, too!”

“I can see that you love to give gifts. I was just on my way to give my own gifts to people all over the world. Would you like to help me?”

“Oh yes!” she cried, “I have dreamed of bringing the whole world the most perfect gifts!”

But then she had a terrible thought.

“Oh King, I want to help you, but I’m just a very small girl, and I don’t even know how to read maps. How will I take your gifts all over the world?”

“My child, I have many friends who know the roads of the world. They will deliver my gifts. But you know how to listen and watch to discover what gifts people need. Will you come to my palace to speak to me about their needs? I have so many gifts to give, but people do not ask for them. But if you ask, I will send more and more of my gifts to the world!”

This delighted the girl. After all, the very best gifts are the kind that surprise you, and with the King, she could surprise the whole world with the most perfect gifts!

So the little girl followed the King to the palace, where he showed her his treasure chest full of gifts. It was incredible!

By herself, she could only give small things, things that could fit in a box like a toy or book or game. But the King, his treasure chest was wider than the ocean, and deeper too! He had all sorts of gifts that wouldn’t fit in a box, like sunrises and rainstorms, like love and joy, forgiveness and hope. And those gifts, she discovered, were the best gifts of all.

At the palace, the little girl met many other girls who also listened to the world and spoke to the King. Every day, they would go to the throne of the King and tell him all about the people. The King loved to hear all that the little girls told him about the people in the world, about who was sick or healthy, sad or happy. While they spoke to him, the King would open his treasure chest full of gifts and pick out the perfect things for each person. Then, just as he had promised, the King’s traveling friends would take his presents out to everyone who needed them.

Although the girl never saw the looks on people’s faces when they received the wonderful gifts of the King, her heart was filled with joy because she knew that they were getting the most perfect gifts.