The Infant Program
As soon as I had dismounted from my horse, I went to the stable, but my companion turned back, for this was what the girl had advised. The horses were at their cribs. One turned its head and looked at me. I patted its eyes, pulled its ears, threw a bridle over its neck, mounted it, and in riding by, took the cage with the magic bird that hung in the entry.
After your imperial majesty’s oldest sons had cut off their youngest brother’s feet, one of them took me, the other the wonderful bird. I thought my heart would dissolve with grief because I was obliged to part from your majesty’s youngest son, whom I loved because he was such a noble man.
– Maria Montessori
They proposed that I should love one of them, and promised that he would marry me as soon as we reached the emperor’s court. After refusing all their offers, I preferred to take service as your majesty’s poultry maid, rather than go any where else, for I knew God would not let a man who did right perish, and now I thank Him for having shown me that a good deed is never lost.
What makes our infant program so unique?
After the wedding was over and the emperor had married his son to the poultry-maid, he came down from the throne and gave it to the prince, who, if alive, reigns there still. I was present at these events, and now tell them to those who listen.
- As they could not avoid it, they went in front of the church, and set out three bee-hives at equal distances apart.
- Each brother stood with his feet in one, and hurled a stone into the air from a sling.
- The elder brothers’ stones in falling back struck them so hard on the head that they were killed, but the youngest brother’s fell in front of him.
- Many had assembled to witness this trial.