Long ago, there was a queen who lived in a palace. She felt bored and said to her advisor (顾问):
"All the things around me are too boring. I need a different kind of beauty. Let everyone know that I will hold a competition for the most beautiful thing in the world. And the prize will be this crown(王冠)."
Several days later, lots of people came to the competition and showed their things. The queen was not satisfied with what she saw. The advisor suggested, "What you are looking for cannot be brought to you. You must look for it by yourself. What about a journey?"
The queen was interested in the idea, so she started immediately. As she was on top of the hill near her palace, she looked down and suddenly something cried in her heart, "Why have I never found my palace so beautiful?"
The queen spent one year travelling. She saw beauty on the farm, in the forest and even in the stars twinkling (闪烁)at night on her journey. But what was the most beautiful thing? She thought it over. Suddenly, she under- stood beauty was everywhere. She should learn to enjoy the world. She left the pieces of her crown at different places that she had seen. As time went by, the queen's crown got smaller and smaller until nothing was left.
She found the most beautiful thing at last. It was the world!
