Fairy tales often speak of a kingdom that is difficult to find on any map—surrounded by vast waters, composed of a few fragmented islands, and inhabited by a handful of people whose stories had never been heard. The story of Cape Verde is much like that. Situated in the Atlantic Ocean six hundred kilometers off the coast of West Africa, this nation is formed by ten volcanic islands. It stands as the smallest country by area in the World Cup and the second smallest by population. While it is home to 550,000 people, more than double that number of its children are scattered across various corners of the world, having left their homeland to settle abroad long ago. Much like a prince crossing seven seas and thirteen rivers in search of fortune, the people of Cape Verde crossed country after country—not out of choice, but out of a necessity to survive.