The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry

moved, and dinner ascended.
    Still singing " Pheasant pie, " the three girls served it, a plateful apiece, with some asparagus, and spooned some hollandaise on top.

    " Sauce! Sauce! Sauce! " they sang in chorus.
    "Now that I have your attention, Mother and Father, I would like to talk about the Birthday Ball," the princess said as the plates were served.
    "Move closer so that I can hear you," the queen suggested. Then she turned to her husband. "You too, dear. Let's sit side by side and discuss the Birthday Ball.
    "Girls?" she said, turning to the three serving maids, who curtsied, one by one, in reply. "Move our plates and forks and everything here together. Then, if you would, please hum lightly while we finish our dinner. It soothes my nerves and makes the meal seem festive."
    ***
    "The entire village?" the queen asked, disconcerted. "To your Birthday Ball? Did I hear you correctly?"
    "Yes, please, Mother. I'd like that." Princess Patricia Priscilla touched the tip of her silver fork to the pale yellow sauce. "The villagers are all poor peasants and they have never been to a ball. Think how they'd enjoy it."
    "Oh, I don't know, I don't know," the queen murmured. "It's so not done."
    "Father? What do you think?"
    The king had begun to tire of talk about the ball and his mind had wandered off to contemplate rare butterflies. He frowned. "What do I think. About what. I don't know. No idea. Not a clue."
    "Might I invite the villagers to my Birthday Ball?" the princess asked him patiently.
    "Villagers. Ball. Whatever." The king's mind was on the rare butterfly that was missing from his collection. Perhaps if he arranged a jungle excursion...
    "We would have to order them to wash first," the queen mused.
    "Peasants are clean, Mother—truly, they are." The princess took a small bite of asparagus. "But of course we could mention bathing, in the invitation, if you think we should."
    "Mention what? What was that? Baiting? Oh, I don't think so, dear. There was a terrible sport in the old days, called bearbaiting. Your father outlawed it years ago."
    " Bathing, Mother. We could say that the invitation is for all well-bathed villagers." The princess enunciated clearly.
    "Yes, of course. Bathing." The queen nodded. "I'd hope they wouldn't bring gifts, though, dear. Think what they might bring. Piglets, I'm afraid ... things like that."
    "We would tell them gifts aren't necessary, Mother. In fact..."
    "The suitors will bring gifts, of course. Oh my, I make myself nervous and excited, just thinking what incredible gifts the suitors might bring!" The queen shivered.
    The princess did not want to think about, or talk about, suitors. "In fact," she went on, "I would like to give gifts to the villagers."
    "Eh? What was that? Gift gifts? Give gives? Give gloves? Lift cloves? Oh, dear, I can't think what ever you are talking about."
    "Father?" The princess turned to the king. "May I have your permission to give gifts to the villagers?"
    "Gifts. Permission. Yes. Whatever. I'll skip dessert." The king took his linen monogrammed napkin from his lap and gestured to the serving girls, who hurried to the table to remove his plate.
    The queen wiped her lips daintily with her own napkin and then nodded to one of the triplets. "Do hum a bit more," she said. "Or sing. I did enjoy that."
    Holding a tray with the waiting dessert dishes on it, the alto sang, " Apricot ice cream... "and the other girls joined in:
    " Apricot ice cream... "
    " Apricot ice cream ... "
    The king changed his mind. "Changed my mind. Dessert. After all."
    The three serving girls continued singing as they served the ice cream and then left the dining chamber, carrying trays of empty plates, and descended the stairs. Their harmony grew fainter as they walked to the kitchen.
    From far below, in the antechamber to the kitchen, the sound echoing through the pulley passage, the princess heard the pulley boy join in with his deep, rich baritone. I do hope Tess is down there, hearing