👑 The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Also known as The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes)
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🏰 A Royal Mystery
Once upon a time, there lived a powerful king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They all slept together in one large chamber with twelve beds in a row.
But every morning, their shoes were found completely worn out, as if they had been dancing all night.
This puzzled the king. He locked the bedroom door each night, yet the shoes were always ruined by dawn.
🔍 The king made a royal decree:
“Whoever can discover where my daughters go each night shall have his choice of one for a bride—and inherit the kingdom after me. But if he fails after three nights, he shall lose his life.”
🧝♂️ A Secret Helper Appears
Many princes tried and failed, losing their lives.
Then came a poor soldier, wounded in battle, with nothing left but courage and wit.
On his way to the palace, he met an old woman 👵 in the woods. She gave him a magical cloak that would make him invisible and whispered:
“Don’t drink the wine they give you. Pretend to sleep, and you’ll learn their secret.”
The soldier thanked her and went to the palace.
🍷 The First Night of Secrets
That night, the eldest princess brought him wine, but he secretly poured it out. Pretending to snore, he watched as the twelve sisters dressed in shimmering gowns and tiptoed to a hidden trapdoor beneath one of the beds.
✨ One by one, they descended into the enchanted underground world.
Invisible in his cloak, the soldier followed.
🌳 The Enchanted Realms
The soldier saw three magical groves:
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🌳 One with silver leaves
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🌟 One with golden branches
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💎 One with glittering diamonds
He broke off a small branch from each as proof.
The princesses continued until they reached a lake, where twelve princes awaited in boats. Each sister stepped into a boat, and they sailed to a glowing castle across the water.
Inside, there was music, dancing, and joy. The princesses danced until their shoes were worn through.
🌙 The Second and Third Nights
For the next two nights, the soldier followed the same way, collecting more proof—a golden cup, a silk scarf, and a jeweled ring. He remained unseen, though the youngest princess sensed something strange.
“I feel like someone is following us,” she whispered, but her sisters laughed it off.
📢 The Truth Revealed
After three nights, the soldier revealed everything to the king—showing the branches, the cup, the scarf, and the ring. The king summoned the princesses.
Faced with the evidence, the sisters confessed. They had been sneaking away each night to dance with enchanted princes in the underground realm.
💍 A Royal Reward
The king was astonished, but true to his word, he rewarded the soldier.
The soldier chose the youngest princess, who had always been kind and gentle. The two were married in a grand royal wedding 👰🤵, and when the king passed, the brave soldier became a wise and noble king.
As for the enchanted princes, the underground realm vanished, never to be seen again.
And so, they all lived happily ever after.
📚 Source
Adapted from The Twelve Dancing Princesses, originally collected by The Brothers Grimm.
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