Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, there lived a group of friendly woodcutters. They spent their days in the forest, cutting down trees and turning the logs into beautiful pieces of furniture. One day, the king of the kingdom came to visit the woodcutters. He was looking for a special gift for his daughter's birthday, and he wanted something that was both unique and practical.

The woodcutters thought long and hard about what they could make for the princess. Then, one of the woodcutters had a brilliant idea. "Your majesty, why don't we build the princess a wooden castle for her dolls?" he said.

The king was thrilled with this idea and asked the woodcutters to get to work right away. The woodcutters set to work, using their saws to make precise kerfs, and their jigsaws to cut intricate shapes. They used the gutters to make the roof, the joints to connect the pieces together, and the jambs to create the doors and windows.

As they worked, they added special touches to make the castle even more special. They inlaid the walls with beautiful patterns, used the insulation to keep the castle warm and cozy, and even created a hearth so the dolls could have a warm place to sit by the fire.

The woodcutters worked day and night to finish the castle, and when it was finally finished, they were so proud of their work. They carried the castle to the palace and presented it to the king.

The princess was overjoyed with her new castle, and she couldn't wait to play with her dolls inside. She ran over to the castle, but as she did, she tripped on her heel and fell to the ground. The castle came tumbling down with her!

The woodcutters were horrified, but the princess just started to giggle. "This castle is so much fun," she said, "it's like a giant jig!" The woodcutters joined in the laughter, and soon the whole palace was filled with the sound of joyful giggles.

From that day on, the wooden castle became a favorite toy of the princess, and the woodcutters were known throughout the kingdom as the builders of the funniest and most creative castle ever made. The end.

Reflections

1. Who asked the woodcutters to build a special gift for the princess?
2. What material did the woodcutters use to make the castle?
3. What special features did the woodcutters add to the castle?
4. How did the princess react when she first saw the castle?
5. Why did the whole palace start to giggle?
6. What was the castle used for after it was built?
7. Do you think the princess liked her gift? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever played with a wooden toy like the castle in the story?
9. What would you do if you were one of the woodcutters and the castle you built collapsed?
10. Do you think the woodcutters were happy with how the story turned out? Why or why not?