Grimms' fairy tales
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There was once upon a time a King who had twelve daughters, each one more beautiful than the other. They all slept together in one chamber, in which their beds stood side by side, and every night when they were in them the King locked the door, and bolted it. But in the morning when he unlocked the door, he saw that their shoes were worn out with dancing, and no one could find out how that had come to pass. Then the King caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever could discover where they danced at night, should choose one of them for his wife and be King after his death, but that whosoever came forward and had not discovered it within three days and nights, should have forfeited his life. It was not long before a King's son presented himself, and offered to undertake the enterprise. He was well received, and in the evening was led into a room adjoining the princesses' sleeping-chamber. His bed was placed there, and he was to observe where they went and danced, and in order that they might do nothing secretly or go away to some other place, the door of their room was left open.
But the eyelids of the prince grew heavy as lead, and he fell asleep, and when he awoke in the morning, all twelve had been to the dance, for their shoes were standing there with holes in the soles. On the second and third nights it fell out just the same, and then his head was struck off without mercy. Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise, but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier, who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to the town where the King lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. "I hardly know myself," answered he, and added in jest, "I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their shoes into holes, and thus become King." - "That is not so difficult," said the old woman, "you must not drink the wine which will be brought to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep." With that she gave him a little cloak, and said, "If you put on that, you will be invisible, and then you can steal after the twelve." When the soldier had received this good advice, he went into the thing in earnest, took heart, went to the King, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that evening at bed-time into the ante-chamber, and as he was about to go to bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking a drop. Then he lay down and when he had lain a while, he began to snore, as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that, and laughed, and the eldest said, "He, too, might as well have saved his life." With that they got up, opened wardrobes, presses, cupboards, and brought out pretty dresses; dressed themselves before the mirrors, sprang about, and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest said, "I know not how it is; you are very happy, but I feel very strange; some misfortune is certainly about to befall us." - "Thou art a goose, who art always frightened," said the eldest. "Hast thou forgotten how many Kings' sons have already come here in vain? I had hardly any need to give the soldier a sleeping-draught, in any case the clown would not have awakened." When they were all ready they looked carefully at the soldier, but he had closed his eyes and did not move or stir, so they felt themselves quite secure. The eldest then went to her bed and tapped it; it immediately sank into the earth, and one after the other they descended through the opening, the eldest going first. The soldier, who had watched everything, tarried no longer, put on his little cloak, and went down last with the youngest. Half-way down the steps, he just trod a little on her dress; she was terrified at that, and cried out, "What is that? who is pulling my dress?" - "Don't be so silly!" said the eldest, "you have caught it on a nail." Then they went all the way down, and when they were at the bottom, they were standing in a wonderfully pretty avenue of trees, all the leaves of which were of silver, and shone and glistened. The soldier thought, "I must carry a token away with me," and broke off a twig from one of them, on which the tree cracked with a loud report. The youngest cried out again. "Something is wrong, did you hear the crack?" But the eldest said, "It is a gun fired for joy, because we have got rid of our prince so quickly." After that they came into an avenue where all the leaves were of gold, and lastly into a third where they were of bright diamonds; he broke off a twig from each, which made such a crack each time that the youngest started back in terror, but the eldest still maintained that they were salutes. They went on and came to a great lake whereon stood twelve little boats, and in every boat sat a handsome prince, all of whom were waiting for the twelve, and each took one of them with him, but the soldier seated himself by the youngest. Then her prince said, "I can't tell why the boat is so much heavier to-day; I shall have to row with all my strength, if I am to get it across." - "What should cause that," said the youngest, "but the warm weather? I feel very warm too." On the opposite side of the lake stood a splendid, brightly-lit castle, from whence resounded the joyous music of trumpets and kettle-drums. They rowed over there, entered, and each prince danced with the girl he loved, but the soldier danced with them unseen, and when one of them had a cup of wine in her hand he drank it up, so that the cup was empty when she carried it to her mouth; the youngest was alarmed at this, but the eldest always made her be silent. They danced there till three o'clock in the morning when all the shoes were danced into holes, and they were forced to leave off; the princes rowed them back again over the lake, and this time the soldier seated himself by the eldest. On the shore they took leave of their princes, and promised to return the following night. When they reached the stairs the soldier ran on in front and lay down in his bed, and when the twelve had come up slowly and wearily, he was already snoring so loudly that they could all hear him, and they said, "So far as he is concerned, we are safe." They took off their beautiful dresses, laid them away, put the worn-out shoes under the bed, and lay down. Next morning the soldier was resolved not to speak, but to watch the wonderful goings on, and again went with them. Then everything was done just as it had been done the first time, and each time they danced until their shoes were worn to pieces. But the third time he took a cup away with him as a token. When the hour had arrived for him to give his answer, he took the three twigs and the cup, and went to the King, but the twelve stood behind the door, and listened for what he was going to say. When the King put the question, "Where have my twelve daughters danced their shoes to pieces in the night?" he answered, "In an underground castle with twelve princes," and related how it had come to pass, and brought out the tokens. The King then summoned his daughters, and asked them if the soldier had told the truth, and when they saw that they were betrayed, and that falsehood would be of no avail, they were obliged to confess all. Thereupon the King asked which of them he would have to wife? He answered, "I am no longer young, so give me the eldest." Then the wedding was celebrated on the self-same day, and the kingdom was promised him after the King's death. But the princes were bewitched for as many days as they had danced nights with the twelve.
But the eyelids of the prince grew heavy as lead, and he fell asleep, and when he awoke in the morning, all twelve had been to the dance, for their shoes were standing there with holes in the soles. On the second and third nights it fell out just the same, and then his head was struck off without mercy. Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise, but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier, who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to the town where the King lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. "I hardly know myself," answered he, and added in jest, "I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their shoes into holes, and thus become King." - "That is not so difficult," said the old woman, "you must not drink the wine which will be brought to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep." With that she gave him a little cloak, and said, "If you put on that, you will be invisible, and then you can steal after the twelve." When the soldier had received this good advice, he went into the thing in earnest, took heart, went to the King, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that evening at bed-time into the ante-chamber, and as he was about to go to bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking a drop. Then he lay down and when he had lain a while, he began to snore, as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that, and laughed, and the eldest said, "He, too, might as well have saved his life." With that they got up, opened wardrobes, presses, cupboards, and brought out pretty dresses; dressed themselves before the mirrors, sprang about, and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest said, "I know not how it is; you are very happy, but I feel very strange; some misfortune is certainly about to befall us." - "Thou art a goose, who art always frightened," said the eldest. "Hast thou forgotten how many Kings' sons have already come here in vain? I had hardly any need to give the soldier a sleeping-draught, in any case the clown would not have awakened." When they were all ready they looked carefully at the soldier, but he had closed his eyes and did not move or stir, so they felt themselves quite secure. The eldest then went to her bed and tapped it; it immediately sank into the earth, and one after the other they descended through the opening, the eldest going first. The soldier, who had watched everything, tarried no longer, put on his little cloak, and went down last with the youngest. Half-way down the steps, he just trod a little on her dress; she was terrified at that, and cried out, "What is that? who is pulling my dress?" - "Don't be so silly!" said the eldest, "you have caught it on a nail." Then they went all the way down, and when they were at the bottom, they were standing in a wonderfully pretty avenue of trees, all the leaves of which were of silver, and shone and glistened. The soldier thought, "I must carry a token away with me," and broke off a twig from one of them, on which the tree cracked with a loud report. The youngest cried out again. "Something is wrong, did you hear the crack?" But the eldest said, "It is a gun fired for joy, because we have got rid of our prince so quickly." After that they came into an avenue where all the leaves were of gold, and lastly into a third where they were of bright diamonds; he broke off a twig from each, which made such a crack each time that the youngest started back in terror, but the eldest still maintained that they were salutes. They went on and came to a great lake whereon stood twelve little boats, and in every boat sat a handsome prince, all of whom were waiting for the twelve, and each took one of them with him, but the soldier seated himself by the youngest. Then her prince said, "I can't tell why the boat is so much heavier to-day; I shall have to row with all my strength, if I am to get it across." - "What should cause that," said the youngest, "but the warm weather? I feel very warm too." On the opposite side of the lake stood a splendid, brightly-lit castle, from whence resounded the joyous music of trumpets and kettle-drums. They rowed over there, entered, and each prince danced with the girl he loved, but the soldier danced with them unseen, and when one of them had a cup of wine in her hand he drank it up, so that the cup was empty when she carried it to her mouth; the youngest was alarmed at this, but the eldest always made her be silent. They danced there till three o'clock in the morning when all the shoes were danced into holes, and they were forced to leave off; the princes rowed them back again over the lake, and this time the soldier seated himself by the eldest. On the shore they took leave of their princes, and promised to return the following night. When they reached the stairs the soldier ran on in front and lay down in his bed, and when the twelve had come up slowly and wearily, he was already snoring so loudly that they could all hear him, and they said, "So far as he is concerned, we are safe." They took off their beautiful dresses, laid them away, put the worn-out shoes under the bed, and lay down. Next morning the soldier was resolved not to speak, but to watch the wonderful goings on, and again went with them. Then everything was done just as it had been done the first time, and each time they danced until their shoes were worn to pieces. But the third time he took a cup away with him as a token. When the hour had arrived for him to give his answer, he took the three twigs and the cup, and went to the King, but the twelve stood behind the door, and listened for what he was going to say. When the King put the question, "Where have my twelve daughters danced their shoes to pieces in the night?" he answered, "In an underground castle with twelve princes," and related how it had come to pass, and brought out the tokens. The King then summoned his daughters, and asked them if the soldier had told the truth, and when they saw that they were betrayed, and that falsehood would be of no avail, they were obliged to confess all. Thereupon the King asked which of them he would have to wife? He answered, "I am no longer young, so give me the eldest." Then the wedding was celebrated on the self-same day, and the kingdom was promised him after the King's death. But the princes were bewitched for as many days as they had danced nights with the twelve.
Es war einmal ein König, der hatte zwölf Töchter, eine immer schöner als die andere. Sie schliefen zusammen in einem Saal, wo ihre Betten nebeneinander standen, und abends wenn sie darin lagen, schloß der König die Tür zu und verriegelte sie. Wenn er aber am Morgen die Türe aufschloß, so sah er, daß ihre Schuhe zertanzt waren, und niemand konnte herausbringen, wie das zugegangen war. Da ließ der König ausrufen, wers könnte ausfindig machen, wo sie in der Nacht tanzten, der sollte sich eine davon zur Frau wählen und nach seinem Tod König sein: wer sich aber meldete und es nach drei Tagen und Nächten nicht herausbrächte, der hätte sein Leben verwirkt. Nicht lange, so meldete sich ein Königssohn und erbot sich, das Wagnis zu unternehmen. Er ward wohl aufgenommen und abends in ein Zimmer geführt, das an den Schlafsaal stieß. Sein Bett war da aufgeschlagen, und er sollte acht haben, wo sie hingingen und tanzten; und damit sie nichts heimlich treiben konnten oder zu einem andern Ort hinausgingen, war auch die Saaltüre offen gelassen. Dem Königssohn fiels aber wie Blei auf die Augen und er schlief ein, und als er am Morgen aufwachte, waren alle zwölfe zum Tanz gewesen, denn ihre Schuhe standen da und hatten Löcher in den Sohlen. Den zweiten und dritten Abend gings nicht anders, und da ward ihm sein Haupt ohne Barmherzigkeit abgeschlagen. Es kamen hernach noch viele und meldeten sich zu dem Wagestück, sie mußten aber alle ihr Leben lassen. Nun trug sichs zu, daß ein armer Soldat, der eine Wunde hatte und nicht mehr dienen konnte, sich auf dem Weg nach der Stadt befand, wo der König wohnte. Da begegnete ihm eine alte Frau, die fragte ihn, wo er hin wollte. 'Ich weiß selber nicht recht,' sprach er, und setzte im Scherz hinzu 'ich hätte wohl Lust, ausfindig zu machen, wo die Königstöchter ihre Schuhe vertanzen, und danach König zu werden.' 'Das ist so schwer nicht,' sagte die Alte, 'du mußt den Wein nicht trinken, der dir abends gebracht wird, und mußt tun, als wärst du fest eingeschlafen.' Darauf gab sie ihm ein Mäntelchen und sprach 'wenn du das umhängst, so bist du unsichtbar und kannst den zwölfen dann nachschleichen.' Wie der Soldat den guten Rat bekommen hatte, wards Ernst bei ihm, so daß er ein Herz faßte, vor den König ging und sich als Freier meldete. Er ward so gut aufgenommen wie die andern auch, und wurden ihm königliche Kleider angetan. Abends zur Schlafenszeit ward er in das Vorzimmer geführt, und als er zu Bette gehen wollte, kam die älteste und brachte ihm einen Becher Wein: aber er hatte sich einen Schwamm unter das Kinn gebunden, ließ den Wein da hineinlaufen, und trank keinen Tropfen. Dann legte er sich nieder, und als er ein Weilchen gelegen hatte, fing er an zu schnarchen wie im tiefsten Schlaf. Das hörten die zwölf Königstöchter, lachten, und die älteste sprach 'der hätte auch sein Leben sparen können.' Danach standen sie auf, öffneten Schränke, Kisten und Kasten, und holten prächtige Kleider heraus: putzten sich vor den Spiegeln, sprangen herum und freuten sich auf den Tanz. Nur die jüngste sagte 'ich weiß nicht, ihr freut euch, aber mir ist so wunderlich zumut: gewiß widerfährt uns ein Unglück.' 'Du bist eine Schneegans,' sagte die älteste, 'die sich immer fürchtet. Hast du vergessen, wie viel Königssöhne schon umsonst dagewesen sind? dem Soldaten hätt ich nicht einmal brauchen einen Schlaftrunk zu geben, der Lümmel wäre doch nicht aufgewacht.' Wie sie alle fertig waren, sahen sie erst nach dem Soldaten, aber der hatte die Augen zugetan, rührte und regte sich nicht, und sie glaubten nun ganz sicher zu sein. Da ging die äIteste an ihr Bett und klopfte daran: alsbald sank es in die Erde, und sie stiegen durch die Öffnung hinab, eine nach de r andern' die älteste voran. Der Soldat, der alles mit angesehen hatte, zauderte nicht lange, hing sein Mäntelchen um und stieg hinter der jüngsten mit hinab. Mitten auf der Treppe trat er ihr ein wenig aufs Kleid, da erschrak sie und rief 'was ist das? wer hält mich am Kleid?' 'Sei nicht so einfältig,' sagte die älteste, 'du bist an einem Haken hängen geblieben.' Da gingen sie vollends hinab, und wie sie unten waren, standen sie in einem wunderprächtigen Baumgang, da waren alle Blätter von Silber und schimmerten und glänzten. Der Soldat dachte 'du willst dir ein Wahrzeichen mitnehmen,' und brach einen Zweig davon ab: da fuhr ein gewaltiger Krach aus dem Baume. Die jüngste rief wieder 'es ist nicht richtig, habt ihr den Knall gehört?' Die älteste aber sprach 'das sind Freudenschüsse, weil wir unsere Prinzen bald erlöst haben.' Sie kamen darauf in einem Baumgang, wo alle Blätter von Gold, und endlich in einen dritten, wo sie klarer Demant waren: von beiden brach er einen Zweig ab, wobei es jedesmal krachte, daß die jüngste vor Schrecken zusammenfuhr: aber die älteste blieb dabei, es wären Freudenschüsse. Sie gingen weiter und kamen zu einem großen Wasser, darauf standen zwölf Schifflein, und in jedem Schifflein saß ein schöner Prinz, die hatten auf die zwölfe gewartet, und jeder nahm eine zu sich, der Soldat aber setzte sich mit der jüngsten ein. Da sprach der Prinz 'ich weiß nicht. das Schiff ist heute viel schwerer, und ich muß aus allen Kräften rudern, wenn ich es fortbringen soll.' 'Wovon sollte das kommen,' sprach die jüngste, 'als vom warmen Wetter, es ist mir auch so heiß zumut.' Jenseits des Wassers aber stand ein schönes hellerleuchtetes Schloß, woraus eine lustige Musik erschallte von Pauken und Trompeten. Sie ruderten hinüber, traten ein, und jeder Prinz tanzte mit seiner Liebsten; der Soldat aber tanzte unsichtbar mit, und wenn eine einen Becher mit Wein hielt, so trank er ihn aus, daß er leer war, wenn sie ihn an den Mund brachte; und der jüngsten ward auch angst darüber, aber die älteste brachte sie immer zum Schweigen. Sie tanzten da bis drei Uhr am andern Morgen, wo alle Schuhe durchgetanzt waren und sie aufhören mußten. Die Prinzen fuhren sie über das Wasser wieder zurück, und der Soldat setzte sich diesmal vornen hin zur ältesten. Am Ufer nahmen sie von ihren Prinzen Abschied und versprachen, in der folgenden Nacht wiederzukommen. Als sie an der Treppe waren, lief der Soldat voraus und legte sich in sein Bett, und als die zwölf langsam und müde heraufgetrippelt kamen, schnarchte er schon wieder so laut, daß sies alle hören konnten, und sie sprachen 'vor dem sind wir sicher.' Da taten sie ihre schönen Kleider aus, brachten sie weg, stellten die zertanzten Schuhe unter das Bett und legten sich nieder. Am andern Morgen wollte der Soldat nichts sagen, sondern das wunderliche Wesen noch mit ansehen, und ging die zweite und die dritte Nacht wieder mit. Da war alles wie das erstemal, und sie tanzten jedesmal, bis die Schuhe entzwei waren. Das drittemal aber nahm er zum Wahrzeichen einen Becher mit. Als die Stunde gekommen war, wo er antworten sollte, steckte er die drei Zweige und den Becher zu sich und ging vor den König, die zwölfe aber standen hinter der Türe und horchten, was er sagen würde. Als der König die Frage tat 'wo haben meine zwölf Töchter ihre Schuhe in der Nacht vertanzt?' so antwortete er 'mit zwölf Prinzen in einem unterirdischen Schloß,' berichtete, wie es zugegangen war, und holte die Wahrzeichen hervor. Da ließ der König seine Töchter kommen und fragte sie, ob der Soldat die Wahrheit gesagt hätte, und da sie sahen, daß sie verraten waren und leugnen nichts half, so mußten sie alles eingestehen. Darauf fragte ihn der König, welche er zur Frau haben wollte. E r antwortete 'ich bin nicht mehr jung, so gebt mir die älteste.' Da ward noch am selbigen Tage die Hochzeit gehalten und ihm das Reich nach des Königs Tode versprochen. Aber die Prinzen wurden auf so viel Tage wieder verwünscht, als sie Nächte mit den zwölfen getanzt hatten.