Stories of Jivavarta: A Tale of a Fairytale

Trading hopelessness for a traveler’s bundle, Boa sets out to find her own "happily ever after."

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a peasant girl named Boa.

Like any other girl, she believed in fairytales. But unlike the others, she believed in them not because they were enchanting, but because her real life was not. These fairytales promised Boa escape from her unbearable life, with princes, happy endings, and much more.

One day, Boa heard about the Prince Charming in a faraway kingdom. She decided that she would travel to that kingdom, marry her Prince Charming, and live happily ever after. She packed only a few things, for one does not need much when fleeing hopelessness.

The path to the faraway kingdom was through a deep dark jungle. On her way, Boa met a dreaded lion. His eyes showed cruelty and boredom, the expression of those used to their power.

"Are you not afraid of me, girl?" asked the lion.

"No," answered Boa. The lion was impressed with her bravery.

"Where are you going?" asked the lion.

"I am going to meet my Prince Charming. I am going to marry him, and we are going to live happily ever after," answered Boa, all in one breath.

A king of the wild seeks a beauty that never fades, a promise Boa refuses to make.

"I am the king of the jungle. You are a beautiful girl, I can be your Prince Charming," the lion said. "But promise me, you will look like this forever."

Even beasts demand eternity from women, Boa pondered.

"I can't look like this forever," she replied. "I am going to get old and look different sooner or later."

The lion looked a bit disappointed.

"Hmmm ... that is a problem," he said. "Then I can't be your Prince Charming."

"Don't worry, King of the Jungle," Boa responded. "You will get your lioness someday."

She bade farewell to the lion, and kept walking towards the kingdom.

After some time, Boa noticed a roadside puddle with many frogs.

"Who are you?" asked one of the frogs. "Where are you going?"

"I am Boa the peasant girl, and I am going to meet my Prince Charming."

A kiss in the mud proves that some "princes" aren't cursed they are just cruel.

"I am your Prince Charming," said the frog.

"What are you talking about?" said Boa, visibly annoyed. "You are just a puddle frog."

"Yes, presently I am a frog," the frog replied. "But in reality I am a cursed prince. If you kiss me, my curse will be lifted and I will become Prince Charming."

Boa stood there, confused. She didn't know what to do, she was just a naive peasant girl. The frog sensed her hesitation.

"Trust me, peasant girl," the frog said, earnestly.

Boa closed her eyes, and kissed the frog. She opened her eyes slowly. Her heart was beating fast, she was going to see her Prince Charming.

"What is this?" screamed Boa. "You are still a frog! The curse has not lifted!"

"What curse?" the frog giggled. "There is no curse. I just fooled you." He winked at other frogs in the puddle, and they all erupted in laughter, the kind that feeds on others' pain.

Boa learned something bitter, that cruelty does not always shout or abuse, sometimes it also giggles. She felt betrayed, but didn't say anything. Tears rolling down her face, she kept walking towards the kingdom.

At long last, she reached the kingdom, and was in front of the Prince Charming.

Standing among many, she realizes a prince's favor isn't a fairy tale

He was everything she had imagined, the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was surrounded by beautiful girls, each girl was more beautiful than the last.

Boa kept looking at the Prince Charming, and suddenly their eyes met. She was nothing like any other girl the prince had ever seen. There was a childlike simplicity in her manners. Her eyes were full of admiration for him.

"Come here, girl," the Prince said. "Where are you from? I've never seen you before."

"I am Boa, the peasant girl," answered Boa timidly. "I am here to meet you, Your Grace!"

"And what is the purpose of this visit, peasant girl?" asked the Prince Charming.

Boa wanted to say many things, but couldn't utter a word.

"Let me guess," said the Prince. "You are here to marry me."

Boa nodded.

"But that's not possible," said the Prince Charming. "I can't marry you. You see, I am the Prince Charming to every girl. If I marry you, what will they do? Instead, you can stay in this palace with me, just like all these girls, and enjoy the luxuries."

This broke Boa's heart. It shattered her dream of living happily ever after. She left the palace at once. She kept walking. She walked and walked, without food or water. After some time, she couldn't walk anymore, and collapsed on the ground.

"Are you all right?" a stranger's voice was asking. "Wake up, please!"

Boa opened her eyes. She saw a boy, he was about her age.

No palace, just a man building a future with his hands and offering a place to belong.

"You gave me a fright!" said the boy. "I saw you collapse on the road."

"Where am I?" asked Boa, hurriedly getting up.

"You are in my kingdom, my lady," the boy replied.

"Oh, are you a prince?" asked Boa.

"No, my lady," the boy smiled. "I am the king of this kingdom."

"That's nice!" said Boa. "Where is your palace? Where are your guards?"

"I am creating this new kingdom," the boy replied. "There is no palace, but I built a house for myself. My friends are working on building a better farming system so that everybody can get more food. We are also building a city, and are working on the town planning. You are welcome to stay with us if you want."

Boa thought the idea of creating a new kingdom a little foolish, but she had no desire to go back as her dreams were shattered. Boa stayed because she had nowhere else to go and mainly because no one here asked her to be more than what she was.

She noticed that although the boy was of her age, he was well respected by all. They all called him King. He was full of new ideas about building the new kingdom.

He never asked Boa about her past. But one day she told him her story, how she ran away from home, about the frog, and about the Prince Charming. The King listened quietly. She waited for judgment, it did not come.

"Don't you judge me?" Boa asked.

"Who am I to judge you?" he said. "I struggle daily with my own failures, the work is not going as I expected."

"I can help you with your work," Boa offered. "I have many ideas."

Being from a farming community, she had many ideas for betterment of the farmers which she applied successfully.

Time passed by. Boa noticed that the King cared for her. What he offered her was not fantasy but honest work, not worship but companionship. He did not ask her to be beautiful forever, in fact he asked nothing.

Whenever she was sad, he made jokes just to make her smile. Whenever she fell ill, he took care of her. Soon she started reciprocating the affection. They never said a word to each other. But they knew, even the people from the small kingdom knew, that they were madly in love.

On one beautiful day, the King asked Boa to marry him. There was no prophecy, no magic, just trust and Boa gladly agreed. Thus she became the queen.

Time passed, the kingdom prospered not because it was destined to, but because of the collective efforts of the people. It prospered because the leaders who had known hunger and hardship refused to ignore it in others.

Then, one day, while meeting people from the kingdom, the queen came across a little girl who was staring at her continuously.

"Come here, little girl," said the queen. "Why are you looking at me? Do you want something?"

"No, Your Grace!" said the girl's father who was standing with her. "She is just comparing you and your character in the fairytale about you."

"A fairytale? About me?" The queen was surprised.

"Yes, my queen," said the girl's father. "It is a fairytale called 'The Peasant Girl Who Became a Queen.' It is very popular these days."

The queen smiled. She had realized that fairytales are never about magic, princes, or power -- instead, they are about surviving long enough to create your own story.

The fairy tale was never about magic, it was about the inner strength to build a story of her own.

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Lexicon of Jivavarta

A Tale of a Fairytale — The act of outliving a fantasy to build a reality.

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Philosophical Concepts 

1. Existentialism / Self-Determination
   • Boa’s arc: Starts by seeking a predestined "happily ever after," then shifts toward actively shaping her own life.
   • Concept: Life’s meaning is not preordained; meaning is created through action. Boa exemplifies Sartre’s idea that “existence precedes essence”—she becomes the author of her life.
2. Critique of the “Prince Charming” Myth
   • Boa’s encounters: The lion (demanding eternal beauty), the frog (deceptive and cruel), and the real Prince (superficial attention) all subvert traditional fairytales.
   1. Concept: The story dismantles the “Just World Hypothesis”—goodness or effort does not automatically lead to reward. The narrative exposes how social structures often privilege charm, beauty, and deception over genuine virtue.
3. Aesthetics vs. Temporality
   • Boa’s conversation with the Lion: Her refusal to promise eternal beauty highlights acceptance of mortality and impermanence.
   • Concept: Life is inherently transient. Philosophy of aesthetics here intersects with realism: human value is not measured by static beauty but by actions and choices.
4. Authentic Labor and Praxis
   • Boa’s contribution to the new kingdom: She applies her knowledge and works alongside the boy-king.
   • Concept: Meaning arises from productive action and collaboration. True prosperity is earned through effort, not inherited status or magical destiny.
5. Collective Humanism
   • Boa and the new kingdom: Prosperity comes from cooperation and mutual care, not predestination.
   • Concept: Ethical life and societal flourishing are results of intentional collective effort, echoing ideas from communitarian philosophy.

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Psychological Concepts 

1. Idealization vs. Reality
   • Boa’s journey: Moves from romanticized expectations of life toward recognizing its complexities.
   • Concept: Idealization functions as a psychological defense, while disillusionment leads to growth and resilience.
2. Rescue Fantasy / “Prince Charming Complex”
   • Boa’s initial goal: Seeking someone to rescue her from her life.
   • Resolution: She discovers self-efficacy and realizes her value in contributing to a shared purpose.
   • Concept: Psychological maturation involves shifting from external dependency to internal agency.
3. Encountering Malicious Narcissism
   • The frog episode: Demonstrates that not all suffering is meaningful or redemptive; some harm comes from cruelty or selfish pleasure.
   • Concept: Awareness of malevolent behavior strengthens resilience and discernment in social relationships.
4. Radical Acceptance / Unconditional Positive Regard
   • The boy-king’s behavior: Accepts Boa’s past without judgment.
   • Concept: Creating safe psychological spaces fosters growth, self-acceptance, and the transition from victimhood to agency.
5. Locus of Control Transformation
   • External: Boa’s early belief that happiness depends on a Prince Charming.
   • Internal: Boa’s later recognition of her capacity to contribute and influence outcomes in the kingdom.
   • Concept: Psychological maturity involves moving from passively attributing control to external forces to actively shaping one’s environment and destiny.

Further Exploration

📖 Read the Original Story: Parable: A Tale of a Fairy Tale  

(Someday, someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else.)

Shon Mehta is an author and philosopher, creator of the Jivavarta Universe, a grounded sociopolitical world exploring human resilience, social dynamics, and moral philosophy through systems thinking. Her novels (The Timingila, Lair of the Monster), poems, aphorisms, parables, and stories are used in academic curricula internationally and featured by Oxford University Press. At the core of her work is the Jivavarta Framework, including tools such as Outcomes = Choice × Structure × Constraint and the “Survive, Thrive, Strive” hierarchy. Together, her writing and frameworks form a literary and philosophical system recognized for its clarity, depth, and enduring relevance.

© 2003–2026 Shon Mehta. All Rights Reserved. > This work, part of the Stories of Jivavarta, was originally released in print format in 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.