Sofia the First: The Princess and the Villager

The Big Switch

Meanwhile, Jade and Ruby met up with their parents.

"Ruby, you and Jade are early," Ruby's mother Helen Henshaw Hanshaw declared. "I thought you were going to play with Sofia for 33 more minutes."

"Prince Hugo and his dad came early to work on their royal project," Ruby replied.

"So we can finally have some time away from Sofia—especially me," Jade spat.

Everyone was surprised at Jade's behavior. She had been mean to Sofia before but not like this.

"Jade, what is going on?" Jade's mother frowned. "You know better than to be this rude."

"Sofia is so lucky, Mom—she gets to be a princess," Jade pouted. "Before then, she used to be a village girl living a provincial life. Now she lives an exciting luxurious life, and everyone loves her more than me."

"Jade dear, just because Sofia is a princess, that doesn't mean she's better than you—and it also doesn't mean everyone likes her more than you," her father assured her.

"That's what I said," Ruby declared. "But if you really want to stay away from Sofia, then we'd better flee because here she comes," she told Jade.

Sofia, Roland, Garrick, and Hugo had gotten down from the coach nearby, which surprised Jade. She wondered what Sofia could be doing here.

"So that's their royal project," Jade glowered.

"Okay, kids, you can stay out here while we get more supplies for the project," Roland said.

"Okay, Dad," Sofia smiled obediently.

"And don't wander off," Garrick said.

"Okay, Dad," Hugo nodded.

"Good," Garrick smiled. He and Roland entered the hardware store.

Sofia and Hugo stayed outside when Ruby and Jade came up to them. "Don't you have a royal project?" Jade asked.

"Ruby, Jade," Sofia gasped.

"We still have 30 minutes before then," Hugo declared. "Our dads went into the hardware store to get more supplies."

Suddenly, the group heard what sounded like a growl. "What was that?" Ruby gasped.

Sofia felt like she knew where that growl was coming from. "I think one of the horses is hungry," she surmised.

"Good thing I brought horse food," Hugo smiled. He took out a little bag of carrots cut into smaller slices. "My brother likes to feed the horses with the carrots like this. Do you want to feed them, Sofia?"

"Sure," Sofia nodded. Hugo handed her a handful of carrots, and she held them out to the hungry horse. She giggled as the horse are the carrots off her hand.

Sofia's adorable giggle was contagious. Hugo couldn't contain his own laughter. Ruby didn't mind hearing Sofia laughing, but it really annoyed Jade.

"Oh, Sofia, would you please just stop?" Jade glared.

"Stop what? What am I doing?" Sofia frowned.

"You've been outshining me a lot lately," Jade snapped at her. "You're a princess, and that's why everyone loves you more than me!"

That statement left Sofia shocked. "What? That's not true," she gasped.

"It is so," Jade insisted. "You have beautiful clothes, and you look so elegant when you twirl in them, and that's how you get attention. You get to live in a big castle and have handmaidens."

"I do have handmaidens, but I prefer doing things myself," Sofia tried to assure her.

But Jade wasn't listening. "And you get to wear shiny tiaras," she went on. "You get to visit other kingdoms, and I'm stuck here in Enchancia. You even get to do stuff that regular girls can only dream about."

"That's because I work hard to get what I want," Sofia pointed out. "I never even dreamed to have a royal life."

"So what?" Jade glared. "I bet being a princess would be more fun than being a villager."

Ruby didn't like the way Jade was treating Sofia. Hugo thought Jade and Ruby's jealousy of his and Sofia's friendship was bad enough, but Jade's jealousy of Sofia's title of a princess wasn't any better.

"Well, being a princess is fun, but it's not as easy as it looks," Sofia frowned. "A princess does more than wear gowns and tiaras. She may have handmaidens to serve her, but a princess serves her subjects. She's kind and noble, and she gives her people what they need."

"It can't be that hard," Jade shrugged. "You probably think it' easy being a villager, don't you, Sofia?"

That really hurt Sofia's feelings. She used to be a villager herself, so she already knows what's like to be one. Jade should already know that.

Sofia gave Jade a snarky smirk. "Jade, you know I used to live in the village before I was even a princess," she snarked. "Do you really think I don't know what it's like to be a villager?"

Jade was shocked—she did know that Sofia used to live in the village before becoming a princess. Jade didn't know how to defend herself. But Hugo had an idea, so he whispered in Sofia's ear. Jade was very suspcious—she wondered what Hugo could be telling Sofia.

"Jade, if it helps, maybe someday you and I can switch lives for one day," Sofia offered. "That way, you can really see what it's like to be a princess."

Jade really liked the sound of that. "I love that idea," she beamed. "Let's do it today!"

Sofia was shocked at that. "Today?" she gasped. "Jade, I can't do that—I told my dad I'd help him with the royal project today."

"Well, you said we could do it someday," Jade protested.

"That doesn't mean today," Sofia frowned. "Besides, I have to help Dad with this project. He said it wouldn't be easy."

"I'm sure I can handle it," Jade shrugged.

Sofia wanted to protest, but she knew Jade wouldn't listen, so she said, "Okay, Jade, let's do it."

Roland and Garrick came out of the hardware shop. "Do what?" Roland asked.

"Dad, Jade wants me to switch lives with her today because she wants to see what it's like to be a princess," Sofia told her father.

"I see, honey, but you said you'd help me with the project," Roland told his daughter.

"That's what I said, but she wouldn't listen," Sofia said.

Roland thought about this and said, "Well, this royal project would help her see what royals do. Okay, honey—you can be a villager today, and Jade can join me."

"Okay, Dad," Sofia smiled.

"Yay!" Jade beamed.

"Okay, let's all go back to the castle," Roland said.