morning, noon
If the child had been a boy , now , she would have made some stir in the world . '' `` For my part , '' sighed her mother , `` I would gladly see her lose all the gifts of Fairyland if she would only laugh and cry like other children . '' In the meantime the little Prince Charming was growing up without the help of a single gift from Fairyland . Never had the palace contained such an idle , careless little Prince ; he laughed at everything that happened , morning , noon , and night ; he played tricks on all his Professors instead of learning his lessons , and he could not keep grave long enough even to say the alphabet . He was so determined to look on the bright side of everything , that when people were angry with him he thought it was only their way of being amusing ; and when they tried to punish him , he found it such a good joke that they very soon gave up the attempt . The people , one and all , loved the merry little Prince who laughed at life from his royal nursery and refused to grow any older ; but the King viewed the matter in quite another light . `` What will become of the country , '' said his Majesty , `` if the boy does not learn to be serious ? ''