Once upon a time there were a few Burmese princes and -princesses. The oldest was called princess Zohra and she was well able to read and write. After her came prince Robbyn, who could read a little, but not write. The youngest two, prince Djavi and princess Mirre, didn't even know what writing was and reading was done for them by princess Zohra. Especially being read to. Princess Zohra could show then how well she could read already. Her brothers and sister didn't mind that, they loved to listen to her stories.

One day they found a stack of magazines, belonging to the lady-in-waiting. She was sorting out a cupboard and had placed the magazines on a stack in the room, when the princes and princesses entered.

"Ooooh, what are these pretty things?", they asked the lady-in-waiting. She told them that they were old magazines, that were to be recycled. Princess Zohra had never heard a sillier thing. In the magazines were beautiful pictures and lots of stories. While she glanced through one of them, she saw that everything was about animals.

She asked the lady-in-waiting if they could have the magazines. The lady-in-waiting let each of them take one magazine, the rest would be recycled. The children all picked one and together they went to their playroom. For hours they thumbed through the magazines to look at all the pictures. At last prince Djavi had had enough and asked princess Zohra to read the stories to them.


Princess Zohra thumbed through the magazine she held in her paws. Which one would she choose? She decided to read one that was titled:"A golden basket". It told of a multi-coloured cat in a shelter for the homeless. She was looking for a new home, with a staff if possible. The princes and princess listened breathlessly to princess Zohra and started to cheer when princess Zohra read on and the multi-coloured cat found a new home indeed. There was even an golden basket waiting for her.

They loved the story. "Zohra, here is also a picture of a basket, is this such a story as well?", Mirre asked. She gave the magazine to her sister, who just mumbled and then told her that it was a story alike indeed. She started to read it to them. This time it was about a black and white tomcat. His staff had left one day, leaving him behind all alone. After a while he ended up in the shelter for the homeless too. He too had found a new home after a while, wíth a golden basket.

Prompt the princes started to thumb through their magazines. Would theirs have such a story as well? And indeed. They each found a story and princess Zohra read both to them. When she finished the stories, it was quiet for a moment.

"We have no golden baskets", prince Robbyn sighed. "We have old baskets and hard ones made from reeds". "Yes, that's not fair, because we are princes and princesses," said prince Djavi. The princesses agreed with him and they sat together and moaned for a while. It was a shame that ordinary cats could have golden baskets and that they had to do with these things. Couldn't they change that?

First they thought of going to queen Quibus. But prince Robbyn said she was far to economical to buy them all a golden basket. Those things would probably cost quit a bit. Maybe they could ask princess aunt Thia. But prince Djavi didn't dare, for he had frightened her terribly this morning. Aunty didn't like that at all and could nag about it for ever. They decided that they could only ask prince uncle Yottum. So they went to look for him.

They found him in the royal library where he was napping on top of a stack of books. Carefully princess Zohra butted her head to him to awake him. "Uncle Yottum, can you help us?", she wheedled. Uncle Yottum was very fond of his eldest niece and now she tried to take advantage of that.

Prince Yottum stretched his legs and jumped of the books. After that he looked at them curiously. Fast princess Zohra started to explain that they had learned from reliable source that ordinary cats could get golden baskets and that they, as princes and princesses, wanted nothing less. Couldn't he help?

Prince Yottum had to laugh actually, but because he was so fond of his nephews and nieces he coughed in his paw and cleared his throat. Well, how could he help them best? He thought hard and then he send the children to the lady-in-waiting, she would know what to do. After all, the magazines came from her.

Rapidly they started to look for her. It took a while before they bumped into her on the stairs. While they joined her, they explained what they wanted. The lady-in-waiting shook her head, but didn't really dare to react, for the magazines came from her indeed. Imagine the queen hearing all this. No, she had to deal with this herself. She decided to take the children to the seamstress, miss Pin. Maybe she could do up the baskets. Then everything would be solved.
Miss Pin listened to the lady-in-waiting, while nodding her head.

When the lady-in-waiting had finished, miss Pin squeezed her eyes by half and thought carefully. Then she asked the children to bring her the baskets, so she could work on them in her studio. While the children ran out the door, she asked the lady-in-waiting for some money, so she could buy some materials.



Several days later there was a knocking on the door of the playroom. Princess Mirre opened the door and saw a lackey. Next to him there were a few large parcels. "Excuse me princess, I have been ordered to deliver these parcels to you and your brothers and sister. May I enter?" Princess Mirre was so amazed, that she could only nod while she opened the door a bit wider. While the lackey walked up and down, the others came looking next to princess Mirre. With the last parcel the lackey brought in, came a letter. He placed it on top of the parcels, bowed his head to the princes and princesses and left.

Hesitant they walked to the parcels together. Princess Zohra took the letter and read it carefully. Then she started to purr. The others urged her to read the letter out loud.

Dear princes and princesses,

You asked me to make you golden baskets,
because your old baskets were old, worn and hard.
Golden baskets may be beautiful, but are also hard.
I think you will be much happier with this.

With kind regards,

Miss Pin.

They had become curious and they threw themselves on the parcels, ripping off the paper. What they found were a lot of pillows and two baskets. They were all upholstered with the same soft fabric and felt wonderful. The pillows fitted exactly in the cane baskets and the two new baskets were put next to the cane ones.

The princes and princesses were delighted and put themselves down. Miss Pin was right. They were very happy with this. The baskets were so comfortable, that the lackey had to come to get them for diner.



Queen Quibus didn't have to spent a fortune on gold to buy her children baskets, she just had to pay the seamstress and the fabric. Aunt Thia wasn't frightened for a long time. And uncle Yottum had to collect the children to go out on adventures, in stead of them disturbing his naps. Every free moment the princess and princesses spent in their wonderful baskets. So everybody lived happily ever after.

Only the court's writer regretted the situation. He remained with an empty and cold lap at night, but that's an other story.