"The Twelve Dancing Princesses" - The Fairy Tales of The Brothers Grimm

There was once a King who had twelve daughters, each more beautiful than the other. They slept together in a hall where their beds stood close to one another ; and at night, when they had gone to bed, the King locked the door and bolted it. But when he unlocked it in the morning, he noticed that their shoes had been danced to pieces, and nobody could explain how it happened. So the King sent out a proclamation saying that any one who could discover where the Princesses did their night's dancing should choose one of them to be his wife and should reign after his death ; but whoever presented himself, and failed to make the discovery after three days and nights, was to forfeit his life.

A Prince soon presented himself and offered to take the risk. He was well received, and at night was taken into a room adjoining the hall where the Princesses slept. His bed was made up there, and he was to watch and see where they went to dance ; so that they could not do anything, or go anywhere else, the door of his room was left open too. But the eyes of the King's son grew heavy, and he fell asleep. When he woke up in the morning all the twelve had been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The second and third evenings passed with the same results, and then the Prince found no mercy, and his head was cut off.

Many others came after him and offered to take the risk, but they all had to lose their lives.

Now it happened that a poor Soldier, who had been wounded and could no longer serve, found himself on the road to the town where the King lived. There he fell in with an old woman who asked him where he intended to go.

' I really don't know, myself,' he said ; and added, in fun, ' I should like to discover where the King's daughters dance their shoes into holes, and after that to become King.'

' That is not so difficult,' said the old woman. ' You must not drink the wine which will be brought to you in the evening, but must pretend to be fast asleep.' Whereupon she gave him a short cloak, saying : ' When you wear this you will be invisible, and then you can slip out after the Twelve Princesses.'

As soon as the Soldier heard this good advice he took it up seriously, plucked up courage, appeared before the King, and offered himself as suitor. He was as well received as the others, and was dressed in royal garments.

In the evening, when bed-time came, he was conducted to the ante-room. As he was about to go to bed the eldest Princess appeared, bringing him a cup of wine ; but he had fastened a sponge under his chin and let the wine run down into it, so that he did not drink one drop. Then he lay down, and when he had been quiet a little while he began to snore as though in the deepest sleep.

The Twelve Princesses heard him, and laughed. The eldest said : ' He, too, must forfeit his life.'

Then they got up, opened cupboards, chests, and cases, and brought out their beautiful dresses. They decked themselves before the glass, skipping about and revelling in the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest sister said : ' I don't know what it is. You may rejoice, but I feel so strange ; a misfortune is certainly hanging over us.'

' You are a little goose,' answered the eldest ; ' you are always frightened. Have you forgotten how many Princes have come here in vain ? Why, I need not have given the Soldier a sleeping draught at all ; the blockhead would never have awakened.'

When they were all ready they looked at the Soldier ; but his eyes were shut and he did not stir. So they thought they would soon be quite safe. Then the eldest went up to one of the beds and knocked on it ; it sank into the earth, and they descended through the opening, one after another, the eldest first.

The Soldier, who had noticed everything, did not hesitate long, but threw on his cloak and went down behind the youngest. Half-way down he trod on her dress. She was frightened, and said : ' What was that ? who is holding on to my dress ? '

' Don't be so foolish. You must have caught on a nail,' said the eldest. Then they went right down, and when they got quite underground, they stood in a marvellously beautiful avenue of trees ; all the leaves were silver, and glittered and shone.

The Soldier thought, ' I must take away some token with me.' And as he broke off a twig, a sharp crack came from the tree.

The youngest cried out, ' All is not well ; did you hear that sound ? '

' Those are triumphal salutes, because we shall soon have released our Princes,' said the eldest.