Once upon a time, in a kingdom filled with whispers and wonder, lived a king burdened by a nightly enigma. He was blessed with twelve daughters, each more radiant than the last, who slept in a shared chamber. Every night, the king ensured their doors were locked and bolted, seeking solace in their safety. Yet, with the dawn, a perplexing discovery awaited him: the princesses’ silken slippers, meticulously crafted, were inexplicably worn through, as if they had danced the night away. Where did they vanish to each night? What clandestine balls did they attend that left their footwear in such disrepair? The mystery of the twelve dancing princesses deepened with each sunrise, casting a shadow of bewilderment over the royal court.
Driven to unravel this secret, the king issued a decree that echoed throughout the land. He promised a royal reward to any man brave and clever enough to solve the riddle of the princesses’ nightly escapades. The suitor who could unveil where the twelve dancing princesses disappeared to each night would not only win the hand of one princess, whichever he desired most, but also inherit the kingdom upon the king’s passing. However, the challenge came with a grave consequence. Failure to uncover the secret within three days and nights would be met with the ultimate price – death.
Courageous, or perhaps foolhardy, princes and noblemen arrived, lured by the prospect of royal marriage and a kingdom. The first to accept the king’s daunting proposition was a king’s son, confident in his lineage and wit. He was granted opulent accommodations next to the princesses’ chamber, the door intentionally left ajar to facilitate his observation. His mission was clear: to stay awake, to watch, and to discover the princesses’ secret dancing haunt. Alas, despite his noble intentions, slumber claimed him swiftly. Morning unveiled the same perplexing scene: twelve pairs of tattered dancing shoes, and a mystery unsolved. The second and third nights mirrored the first, each ending in failure and deeper mystery. The king, bound by his decree, delivered the grim sentence.
One by one, other hopefuls followed, each succumbing to the same mysterious sleep and failing to solve the riddle of the twelve dancing princesses. Each dawn brought only worn shoes and tragic executions, amplifying the kingdom’s intrigue and fear.
It was during this time of unanswered questions and royal despair that an old soldier, weathered by battles and weary from war, journeyed through the king’s realm. As fate would have it, his path led him through a dense wood, where he encountered an old woman, her eyes wise and knowing. She inquired about his journey, and the soldier, in his weary candor, confessed his aimless wandering and his faint hope of solving the princess mystery, dreaming of becoming king.
The old woman, with a knowing smile, declared the task “not very hard.” She revealed the key to success: resist the wine offered by one of the princesses, feign deep sleep, and then, gifted him with a magical cloak. “Wear this,” she instructed, “and you will become invisible, able to follow the princesses wherever they may go.” Armed with this cryptic advice and a magical cloak, the soldier’s weary spirit rekindled with determination. He presented himself to the king, declaring his willingness to undertake the perilous quest.
He received the same royal welcome and opulent garments as his predecessors. As evening descended, he was led to the chamber beside the princesses’. True to the old woman’s words, the eldest princess approached him with a goblet of wine, a customary gesture of hospitality. Remembering the warning, the soldier subtly disposed of the wine, feigning to drink while secretly spilling it. He then lay down, and soon, imitated the deep, rhythmic snores of a man fast asleep.
Upon hearing the soldier’s convincing snores, the twelve princesses erupted in suppressed laughter. The eldest, with a hint of disdain, remarked, “This one too could have chosen a wiser path than to forfeit his life so foolishly.” They rose from their beds, approached ornate drawers and chests, and unveiled a dazzling array of magnificent gowns. Adorned in finery, they preened before a mirror, their earlier weariness replaced by an infectious eagerness for the night’s adventures.
However, the youngest princess, her youthful intuition tingling, voiced a premonition. “I know not why, but amidst this merriment, unease settles upon me. I fear misfortune awaits us.” The eldest sister dismissed her anxieties with a wave of her hand. “Silly girl,” she chided, “your fears are ever present. Have you forgotten the countless princes who have watched in vain? And as for this soldier, even had I not offered the sleeping draught, his slumber would be deep enough.”
Once fully adorned, they approached the soldier’s bed, confirming his seemingly deep sleep. Convinced of their secrecy, the eldest princess approached her own bed and clapped her hands softly. In that instant, the bed descended into the floor, revealing a hidden trapdoor. One by one, the twelve dancing princesses descended into the secret passage, the eldest leading their clandestine procession. Seizing his moment, the soldier donned the cloak of invisibility and stealthily followed.
Descending the secret staircase, the soldier inadvertently stepped upon the hem of the youngest princess’ gown. She gasped, alerting her sisters, “Something is amiss! Someone tugged at my gown!” The eldest, quick to dismiss any suspicion, retorted, “Foolishness, it is but a nail protruding from the wall.”
They reached the bottom of the secret passage and emerged into a breathtaking grove, unlike any earthly forest. The leaves of the trees shimmered with pure silver, glittering in an unseen light. Desiring a token of this magical realm, the soldier snapped off a small silver branch. Instantly, a loud, resonant crack echoed through the grove. The youngest princess trembled, her unease intensifying. “Did you not hear that sound? Such has never occurred before!” she exclaimed. Yet, the eldest princess remained unfazed, attributing the noise to “our princes, shouting with joy at our arrival.”
They journeyed deeper, reaching a second grove where golden leaves replaced silver, and then a third, where leaves of sparkling diamonds adorned the trees. Each time the soldier broke a branch as a keepsake, a loud noise reverberated, each time the youngest princess’s fear grew, and each time the eldest sister offered a mundane explanation.
Finally, they arrived at the shore of a vast, still lake. Twelve small boats awaited them, each occupied by a handsome prince, their figures illuminated by the soft glow of the underground realm. Each princess stepped into a boat, and unnoticed, the soldier joined the youngest princess in hers. As they glided across the lake, the prince rowing the youngest princess and the invisible soldier voiced his bewilderment. “I know not why, but despite my utmost effort, our progress is slow tonight, and weariness weighs upon me. The boat feels unusually heavy.” The princess, ever practical, attributed it to “the warmth of the night; I too feel the heaviness of the air.”
On the opposite shore stood a magnificent, illuminated castle, sounds of music and merriment – horns and trumpets – drifted across the water. They disembarked and entered the castle, where a grand ball was in full swing. Each prince danced with his princess, and the invisible soldier joined their revelry, an unseen guest in their secret world. Whenever a princess was offered a cup of wine, the soldier, still unseen, would drain it, leaving the princesses puzzled by their ever-empty cups. This further unnerved the youngest princess, but the eldest sister consistently quelled her rising anxieties.
They danced until three in the morning, their silken dancing shoes worn to shreds. Reluctantly, they departed, the princes rowing them back across the lake. This time, the soldier strategically placed himself in the boat with the eldest princess. Upon reaching the shore and bidding farewell to their princes, the princesses ascended the secret staircase. The soldier, swift and silent, raced ahead, reaching the royal chamber first and resuming his feigned slumber. As the twelve weary sisters crept into the room, they heard his snores and sighed with relief, “All is safe.” They changed into their night clothes, placed the ruined dancing shoes aside, and retired to bed.
The next morning, the soldier remained silent about his nocturnal adventure, determined to witness the spectacle again. He repeated his invisible journey for the second and third nights, each night mirroring the first, with dancing until dawn and returning with worn-out shoes. On the third night, as a final piece of evidence, the soldier discreetly pocketed a golden cup from the underground castle.
When the three days concluded, the soldier was brought before the king, presenting the silver, gold, and diamond branches and the golden cup. The twelve princesses, their hearts pounding, listened from behind a closed door, their secret teetering on the brink of exposure.
The king, his voice resonant with anticipation, questioned, “Where do my twelve daughters dance each night?”
With unwavering clarity, the soldier declared, “With twelve princes in a castle underground.” He recounted his invisible journey, revealing every detail, and presented the tangible tokens – the branches and the golden cup – as irrefutable proof.
The king summoned his daughters, confronting them with the soldier’s revelations. Seeing their secret unveiled and denial futile, the twelve dancing princesses confessed the truth.
The king, overjoyed at solving the long-standing mystery, turned to the soldier, “Which of my daughters shall be your bride?” The soldier, wise and perhaps weary, replied, “My years are many; I shall choose the eldest.” And so, the old soldier married the eldest princess on that very day, and was declared heir to the kingdom, his bravery and cleverness rewarded beyond measure, all thanks to unveiling the secret of the twelve dancing princesses.
