Once upon a time, in a kingdom far and wide, lived a king blessed with twelve daughters, each more beautiful than the last. These were not ordinary princesses; they were shrouded in an enigma that puzzled the entire court. Every night, the king ensured his daughters were safely locked in their shared bedchamber. The doors were bolted, and security was tight. Yet, with the dawn each morning, a peculiar discovery awaited – the princesses’ shoes were inexplicably worn out, as if they had been dancing through the night. Despite the locked doors, no one could fathom where they went or how they managed their nightly escapades.
This strange occurrence troubled the king deeply. Determined to unravel the mystery, he issued a royal decree that echoed throughout the land. The proclamation declared that any man who could solve the riddle of where the princesses danced in the night would be rewarded handsomely. The prize was not just riches; it was the hand of the princess of his choosing in marriage and the promise of becoming king after the current monarch’s reign. However, the challenge came with a severe warning: failure to uncover the secret within three days and nights would be met with the ultimate penalty – death.
Courageous or perhaps overly ambitious, many suitors arrived at the kingdom, eager to try their luck and solve the perplexing puzzle. The first to accept the king’s challenge was a prince, confident in his abilities. He was welcomed into the castle with royal hospitality and, as evening approached, was led to a chamber adjacent to the princesses’ room. His task was to keep watch and discover the princesses’ secret dancing location. To ensure he could hear anything, the door to his chamber was deliberately left ajar. However, despite the open door and the gravity of the task, sleep overcame the prince. When he awoke the next morning, the evidence was clear – the princesses had indeed been dancing. Their shoes were tattered and torn, bearing testament to a night of vigorous activity. The prince had failed to solve the mystery. The same sequence of events unfolded for the subsequent two nights. True to his word, the king, though perhaps with a heavy heart, ordered the prince’s execution.
One after another, brave men, mostly of noble birth, attempted to solve the mystery, and each met the same unfortunate fate. The riddle of The Twelve Dancing princesses remained unsolved, and the kingdom mourned the loss of more hopeful suitors.
As fate would have it, an old soldier, weathered by battles and retired from service due to his wounds, was passing through the kingdom. He was weary and uncertain of his path. While traversing a dense wood, he encountered an old woman. She inquired about his journey. “I am not sure where I am going,” the soldier confessed, “but I am intrigued by the king’s challenge. I wish to discover where the princesses dance; perhaps it is my chance at a better future, maybe even becoming king.”
The old woman, wise and knowing, responded, “That is not as difficult as it seems. The key is to be cautious. When one of the princesses offers you wine in the evening, do not drink it. Pretend to fall into a deep sleep instead.” She then bestowed upon him a cloak, saying, “Wear this, and you will become invisible. It will allow you to follow the princesses wherever they may go.”
Grateful for the advice and empowered by the magical cloak, the soldier resolved to try his luck. He presented himself to the king, declaring his willingness to undertake the challenge. He was received with the same royal treatment as his predecessors. Fine robes were provided, and as evening descended, he was guided to the outer chamber, next to the princesses’ room.
As he was preparing to rest, the eldest princess entered, offering him a goblet of wine. Remembering the old woman’s words, the soldier discreetly emptied the wine, ensuring not a drop touched his lips. He then lay down on the bed and soon began to snore loudly, feigning a deep slumber.
Upon hearing the soldier’s convincing snores, the twelve princesses erupted into laughter. The eldest princess scoffed, “Another one who thought he could solve our secret! He would have been wiser to enjoy his last days.” With a sense of mischievous freedom, they rose from their beds and approached their wardrobes and jewelry boxes. They retrieved exquisite gowns and adorned themselves before the mirrors, their excitement palpable as they eagerly prepared for their nightly dance.
However, the youngest princess harbored a sense of unease. “I do not know why,” she whispered, “but while you are all so joyous, I feel a sense of foreboding. I fear something unfortunate will befall us tonight.” The eldest sister dismissed her worries, “Silly girl! You are always so fearful. Have you forgotten how many princes have tried and failed? And as for this soldier, even without my sleeping draught, he would be sound asleep by now.”
Once fully dressed and ready, they approached the soldier’s bed to check on him. He remained still and snoring convincingly. Convinced they were safe, the eldest princess approached her bed and clapped her hands. Immediately, the bed sank into the floor, revealing a hidden trapdoor. One by one, the princesses descended into the opening, the eldest leading the way.
The soldier, who had been keenly observing, sprang from the bed, donned the magical cloak, and followed them into the secret passage. As he descended the stairs, in his haste, he inadvertently stepped on the hem of the youngest princess’s gown. She cried out, “Something is not right! Someone is pulling on my dress.” “Nonsense,” retorted the eldest, “it is just a nail protruding from the wall.”
They continued their descent, and soon they found themselves in a breathtaking grove. The trees were adorned with silver leaves that shimmered and sparkled with an otherworldly beauty. Desiring a token of this magical place, the soldier broke off a small branch. Instantly, a loud crack echoed through the grove. The youngest princess, startled, exclaimed, “Did you hear that? Something is amiss! That noise has never happened before.” But the eldest princess quickly reassured her, “It is merely our princes, cheering for joy at our arrival.”
They proceeded deeper into the enchanted realm, reaching another grove where the leaves were of pure gold, radiating a warm, opulent glow. Then they entered a third grove, where the leaves were made of glittering diamonds, dazzling the eyes with their brilliance. Each time, the soldier broke off a branch as a memento, and each time, a loud noise reverberated through the air, causing the youngest princess to tremble with fear. Yet, the eldest princess continued to attribute the sounds to the princes’ joyous welcome.
Finally, they arrived at a vast lake. At the water’s edge, twelve small boats awaited them, each occupied by a handsome prince, who seemed to be expecting them. Each princess boarded a boat, and the soldier, still invisible, discreetly joined the youngest princess in her vessel.
As they rowed across the lake, the prince in the youngest princess’s boat remarked, “I cannot understand it, but even rowing with all my strength, we are moving slower than usual. The boat feels unusually heavy tonight.” “It must be the warm weather,” the princess replied, “I feel it is quite warm as well.”
On the opposite shore of the lake stood a magnificent, illuminated castle, from which joyous music of horns and trumpets filled the air. They disembarked and entered the castle, where each prince danced with his princess. The invisible soldier joined the festivities, dancing alongside them. Whenever a princess was offered a cup of wine, the soldier, unseen, would drink it, leaving the cup empty when she went to take a sip. This further frightened the youngest princess, but the eldest sister consistently silenced her anxieties.
They danced until three in the morning, at which point their shoes were completely worn out, forcing them to stop. The princes rowed them back across the lake. This time, the soldier made sure to be in the boat with the eldest princess. Upon reaching the shore near the castle, they bid farewell to the princes, promising to return the following night.
Reaching the secret staircase, the soldier hurried ahead of the princesses and returned to his chamber, laying down in bed and feigning sleep once more. As the twelve weary princesses slowly ascended the stairs, they heard his snores from his room. “See, all is safe,” they reassured each other. They changed back into their nightclothes, put away their fine gowns, and placed their worn-out shoes aside before retiring to bed.
The next morning, the soldier remained silent about his nightly adventure, determined to witness more of this extraordinary secret. He repeated his watch the second and third nights, and each night unfolded just as the first. The princesses danced until their shoes were in tatters and then returned home. However, on the third night, the soldier, in addition to the branches, took a golden cup from the castle as further evidence of his discovery.
When the three days and nights were over, the soldier was brought before the king. He presented the king with the three branches – silver, gold, and diamond – and the golden cup. The twelve princesses stood behind a door, listening intently to what he would reveal. The king questioned, “Where do my twelve daughters dance at night?” The soldier declared, “With twelve princes in a castle underground.” He then recounted everything he had witnessed, showing the king the branches and the golden cup as proof.
The king summoned the princesses and asked them if the soldier’s account was true. Realizing they were discovered and denial was futile, they confessed everything. The king then turned to the soldier and asked which princess he would choose for his wife. The soldier, considering his age, replied, “I am not very young, so I will choose the eldest.” And so it was decided. They were married that very day, and the soldier, the former battle-worn warrior, was declared the king’s heir, all thanks to solving the mystery of the twelve dancing princesses.
