The Twelve Dancing Princesses

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The twelve dancing princesses.

Once upon a time, they lived in the village of Montignis or a rock a little cowboy without

either father or mother.

His real name was Michael, but he was always called the star geyser, because when he drove

his cows over the commons to seek for pasture, he went along with his head in the air, gaping

at nothing.

As he had a white skin, blue eyes, and hair that curled all over his head, the village

girls used to cry after him, well, star geyser, what are you doing?

And Michael would answer, oh, nothing.

And go on his way without even turning to look at them.

The fact was he thought them very ugly, with their son Bertenex, their great red hands,

their coarse petticoats, and their wooden shoes.

He had heard that somewhere in the world there were girls whose necks were white, and

whose hands were small, who were always dressed in the finest silks and laces, and were

called princesses.

And while his companions round the fire saw nothing in the flames, but common everyday

fancies, he dreamed that he had the happiness to marry a princess.

One morning about the middle of August, just at midday when the sun was hottest, Michael

ate his dinner of a piece of dry bread, and went to sleep under a nook.

And while he slept, he dreamt that there appeared before him a beautiful lady dressed in a

robe of cloth of gold who said to him, go to the castle of Belial, and there he shall

marry a princess.

That evening, the little cowboy who had been thinking a great deal about the advice of

the lady in the golden dress told his dream to the farm people.

But as was natural, they only laughed at the stargazer.

The next day, at the same hour, he went to sleep again under the same tree.

The lady appeared to him a second time and said, go to the castle of Belial, and you shall

marry a princess.

In the evening, Michael told his friends that he had dreamed the same dream again, but

they only laughed at him more than before.

Never mind, he thought to himself, if the lady appears to me a third time, I will do

as she tells me.

The following day, to the greatest punishment of all the village, about two o'clock in the

afternoon, a voice was heard singing, Raleo Raleo how the cattle go.

It was the little cowboy driving as heard back to the buyer.

The farmer began to scold him furiously, but he answered quietly, I am going away.

Made his clothes into a bundle, said goodbye to all his friends, and boldly set out to

seek his fortune.

There was great excitement through all the village, and on the top of the hill, the people

stood holding their sides with laughing, as they watched the stargaze are trudging bravely

along the valley with his bundle at the end of his stick.

It was enough to make anyone laugh, certainly.

It was well known for full twenty miles round that they lived in the castle of Belial, twelve

princesses of wonderful beauty, and as proud as they were beautiful, and who were besides

so very sensitive enough such truly royal blood, that they would have felt at once the presence

of a pea in their beds, even if the mattresses had been laid over it.

It was whispered about that they led exactly the lives of princesses ought to lead, sleeping

far into the morning and never getting up till midday.

They had twelve beds all in the same room, but what was very extraordinary was the fact

that though they were locked in by triple bolts, every morning their satin shoes were found

worn into holes.

When they were asked what they had been doing all night, they always answered that they

had been asleep, and indeed, no noise was ever heard in the room, yet the shoes could

not wear themselves out alone.

At last the Duke of Belial ordered the trumpet to be sounded, and a proclamation to be made

that whoever could discover how his daughters wore out their shoes should choose one of them

for his wife.

On hearing the proclamation, a number of princes arrived at the castle to try their luck.

They watched all night behind the open door of the princesses, but when the morning came,

they had all disappeared, and no one could tell what had become of them.

Four.

When he reached the castle, Michael went straight to the gardener and offered his services.

Now it happened that the garden boy had just been sent away, and though the star gays

or did not look very sturdy, the gardener agreed to take him, as he thought that his pretty

face and golden curls would please the princesses.

The first thing he was told that when the princesses got up, he was to present each one with

a bouquet, and Michael thought that if he had nothing more unpleasant to do than that,

he should get on very well.

Accordingly, he placed himself behind the door of the princesses room, with the twelve

bouquets in a basket.

He gave one to each of the sisters, and they took them without even dainning to look

at the lad, except Lena, the youngest, who fixed her large black eyes as soft as velvet

on him, and exclaimed, oh how pretty he is, our new flower boy.

The rest all burst out laughing, and the eldest pointed out that a princess ought never

to lower herself by looking at a garden boy.

Now Michael knew quite well what had happened to all the princes, but notwithstanding the

beautiful eyes of the princess Lena inspired him with a violent longing to try his fate.

Unhappily he had not dared to come forward, being afraid that he should only be jeered

at, or even turned away from the castle on account of his impudence.

5.

Nevertheless the stargazer had another dream.

The lady in the golden dress appeared to him once more, holding in one hand two young

laurel trees, a cherry laurel and a rose laurel, and in the other hand a little golden

rake, a little golden bucket, and a silken towel.

She thus addressed him.

Even these two laurels in two large pots, rake them over with the rake, water them with

a bucket, and wipe them with the towel.

When they have grown as tall as in Corolla 15, say to each of them, my beautiful laurel,

with the golden rake I have raked you, with the golden bucket I have watered you, with

the silken towel I have wiped you.

Then after that ask anything you choose, and the laurels will give it to you.

Michael thanked the lady in the golden dress, and when he woke he found the two laurel bushes

beside him.

Though he carefully obeyed the orders he had been given by the lady.

The trees grew very fast, and when they were as tall as a girl of 15, he said to the cherry

laurel, my lovely cherry laurel, with the golden rake I have raked you, with the golden bucket

I have watered you, with the silken towel I have wiped you, teach me how to become invisible.

Then they are instantly appeared on the laurel a pretty white flower, which Michael gathered

and stuck into his buttonhole.

6.

That evening when the princesses went upstairs to bed, he followed them barefoot, so that

he might make no noise, and hit himself under one of the twelve beds, so as not to take

up much room.

The princesses began at once to open their wardrobes and boxes.

They took out of them the most magnificent dresses, which they put on before their mirrors,

and when they had finished turned themselves all round to admire their appearances.

Michael could see nothing from his hiding place, but he could hear everything, and he

listened to the princesses laughing and jumping with pleasure.

At last, the eldest said, be quick my sisters, our partners will be impatient.

At the end of an hour, when the stargazer heard no more noise, he peeped out and saw the

twelve sisters in splendid garments, with their sets and shoes on their feet, and in

their hands the bouquets he had brought them.

Are you ready?

As the eldest?

Yes, replied the other eleven in chorus, and they took their places one by one behind

her.

Then the eldest princess clapped her hands three times, and a trap door opened.

All the princesses disappeared down a secret staircase, and Michael hastily followed them.

As he was following on the steps of the princess Lena, he carelessly trought on her dress.

There was somebody behind me, cried the princess, they were holding my dress.

You foolish thing, said her eldest sister, you are always afraid of something, it is only

a nail which caught you.

Seven, they went down, down, down.

To let last they came to a passage with a door at one end, which was only fastened with

a latch.

The eldest princess opened it, and they found themselves immediately in a lovely little

wood, where the leaves were spangled with drops of silver which sown in the brilliant

light of the moon.

They next crossed another wood where the leaves were sprinkled with gold.

And after that another still where the leaves glittered with diamonds.

At last the stargazer perceived a large lake, and on the shores of the lake twelve little

boats with awnings in which were seated twelve princes, who grasped in their ores awaited

the princesses.

Each princess entered one of the boats, and Michael slipped into that which held the youngest.

The boats glided along rapidly, but Lena's, from being heavier, was always behind the

rest.

He never went so slowly before, said the princess, what can be the reason?

I don't know, answered the prince, I assure you I am rowing as hard as I can.

On the other side of the lake the garden voice saw a beautiful castle splendidly illuminated,

once came the lively music of fiddles, kettle drums and trumpets.

In a moment they touched land, and the company jumped out of the boats, and the princes,

after having securely fastened their marks, gave their arms to the princesses and conducted

them to the castle.

8.

Michael followed and entered the ballroom in their train.

Everywhere were mirrors, lights, flowers and demas cangings.

The stargazer was quite bewildered at the magnificence of the sight.

He placed himself out of the way in a corner, admiring the grace and beauty of the princesses.

Their loveliness was of every kind.

Some were fair and some were dark, some had chestnut hair, or curls darker still, and

some had golden locks.

Never were so many beautiful princesses seen together at one time, but the one whom the

cowboy thought the most beautiful and the most fascinating was a little princess with

the velvet eyes.

With what eagerness she danced, leaning on her partner's shoulder she swept by like

a whirlwind.

Her cheeks flushed her eyes, sparkled, and it was plain that she loved dancing better

than anything else.

The poor boy envy those handsome young men with whom she danced so gracefully, but he

did not know how little reason he had to be jealous of them.

The young men were really the princes, who, to the number of fifty at least, had tried

to steal the princess's secret.

The princesses had made them drink something of a filter, which froze the heart and left

nothing but the love of dancing.

9.

They danced on till the shoes of the princesses were worn into holes.

When the crop crowed, the third time the fiddle stopped, and a delicious supper was served

by negro boys, consisting of sugared orange flowers, crystallized rose leaves, powdered

violets, crackinals wafers, and other dishes, which are, as everyone knows, the favorite

food of princesses.

After supper the dancers all went back to their boats, and this time the star geyser entered

that of the eldest princess.

They crossed again the wood with a diamond-spangled leaves, the wood with the gold sprinkled leaves,

and the wood whose leaves glittered with drops of silver.

And as a proof of what he had seen, the boy broke a small branch from a tree in the

last wood.

When it turned, as she heard the noise made by the breaking of the branch, what was

that noise?

She said.

It was nothing, replied her eldest sister.

It was only the screech of the barn owl that roosted in one of the turrets of the castle.

While she was speaking Michael managed to slip in front, and running up the staircase,

he reached the princesses room first.

He flung open the window, and sliding down the vine which climbed up the wall, found

himself in the garden just as the sun was beginning to rise, and it was time for him to set

to his work.

10.

That day, when he made up the bouquets, Michael hid the branch with the silver drops and

the noses gay intended for the youngest princess.

When Lena discovered it, she was much surprised.

However, she said nothing to her sisters, but as she met the boy by accident while she was

walking under the shade of the elms, she suddenly stopped as if to speak to him, then

altering her mind, went on her way.

The same evening, the 12 sisters went again to the ball, and the stargazer again followed

them and crossed the lake in Lena's boat.

This time it was the prince who complained that the boat seemed very heavy.

It is the heat, replied the princess, I too have been feeling very warm.

During the ball, she looked everywhere for the gardener's boy, but she never saw him.

As they came back, Michael gathered her branch from the wood with the gold-spangled leaves,

and now it was the elms princess who heard the noise that it made in breaking.

It is nothing, said Lena, only the cry of the owl which roosts in the turds of the

castle.

As soon as she got up, she found the branch in her bouquet.

When the sisters went down, she stayed a little behind and stood to the cowboy, where

does this branch come from?

Your royal highness knows well enough, answered Michael, so you have followed us?

Yes, princess, how did you manage it?

We never saw you.

I hid myself.

I hid the stargazer quietly.

The princess was silent a moment and then said, you know our secret, keep it, here is the

reward of your discretion, and she flung the boy a purse of gold.

I do not sell my silence, answered Michael, and he went away without picking up the purse.

For three nights, Lena neither saw and heard anything extraordinary.

On the fourth, she heard a rustling among the diamond's bangle leaves of the wood.

That day, there was a branch of the trees in her bouquet.

She took the stargazer aside and said to him in a harsh voice, you know what price my

father has promised to pay for our secret?

I know, princess, answered Michael, don't you mean to tell him?

That is not my intention.

Are you afraid?

No, princess, what makes you so discreet then?

But Michael was silent.

11.

Lena's sisters had seen her talking to the little garden boy and jeered at her for it.

It prevents you from marrying him.

As the oldest, you would become a gardener too, it is a charming profession.

You could live in a cottage at the end of the park and help your husband to drop water

from the well, and when we get up, you could bring us our bouquets.

The princess, Lena, was very angry, and when the stargazer presented her bouquet, she received

it in a disdainful manner.

Michael behaved most respectfully.

He never raised his eyes to her, but nearly all day she felt a matter aside without ever

seeing him.

One day she made her mind to tell everything to her eldest sister.

What?

Said she, this rognos are secret, and you never told me?

I must lose no time in getting rid of him.

But how?

Why by having him taken to the tower with the dungeons, of course?

For this was the way that in old times, beautiful princesses got rid of people who knew too much.

But the astonishing part of it was that the youngest sister did not seem at all to relish

this method of stopping them out of the gardener's boy, who, after all, had said nothing

to their father.

It was agreed that the questions would be submitted to the other ten sisters, all around

the side of the eldest.

Then the youngest sister declared that if they laid a finger on the little garden boy,

she would herself go and tell their father the secret of the holes in their shoes.

At last it was decided that Michael should be put to the test, that they would take

him to the ball, and at the end of supper would give him the filter which was to enchant

him like the rest.

They sent for the stargazer and asked him how he had contrived to learn their secret, but

still he remained silent.

Then in commanding tones the eldest sister gave him the order they had agreed upon.

He only answered, I will obey.

He had really been present, invisible, at the council of princesses, and at her at all.

But he had to make up his mind to drink of the filter and sacrifice himself to the happiness

of her he loved.

Not wishing however to cut a poor figure at the ball by the side of the other dancers,

he went at once to the laurels and said, my lovely rose laurel, with the golden rake I

have raked thee, with the golden bucket I have watered thee, with a silken towel I have

dried thee, dressed me like a prince.

A beautiful pink flower appeared, Michael gathered it, and found himself in a moment

clothed in velvet, which was as black as the eyes of the little princess, with a cap

to match, a diamond de grette, and a blossom of the rose laurel in his buttonhole.

Thus stressed he presented himself that evening before the Duke of Beloyle, and obtained

leave to try and discover his daughter's secret.

He looked so distinguished that hardly anyone would have known who he was.

Forty.

The twelve princesses went upstairs to bed, Michael followed them, and waited behind the

open door till they gave the signal for departure.

This time you did not cross in Lena's boat.

He gave his arm to the eldest sister, danced with each in turn, and was so graceful that

everyone was delighted with him.

I lost the time game for him to dance with a little princess.

She found him the best partner in the world, but he did not dare to speak a single word

to her.

When he was taking her back to her place, she said to him in a mocking voice, here you are

at the summit of your wishes, you are being treated like a prince.

Be afraid, reply the stargazer gently, you shall never be a gardener's wife.

The little princess stared at him with a frightened face, and he left her without waiting for

an answer.

When the satin slippers were worn through the fiddle stopped, and the nigger boys said

the table.

Michael was placed next to the eldest sister, and opposite to the youngest.

They gave him the most exquisite dishes to eat, and the most delicate wines to drink,

and in order to turn his head more completely, compliments and flattery were heaped on him

from every side.

But he took care not to be intoxicated, either by the wine or the compliments.

Fifty.

At last, the eldest sister made a sign, and one of the black pages brought in a large golden

cup.

The enchanted castle has no more secrets for you.

She said to the stargazer, let us drink to your triumph.

He cast a lingering glance at the little princess, and without hesitation lifted the cup.

Don't drink!

Suddenly cried out the little princess, I would rather marry a gardener!

And she burst into tears.

Michael flung the contents of the cup behind him, sprang over the table, and fell at

Lena's feet.

The rest of the princes felt likewise that the knees of the princesses, each of whom chose

a husband and raised him to her side.

The charm was broken.

The twelve couples embarked in the boats, which crossed back many times in order to carry

over the other princes.

Then they all went through the three woods, and when they had passed the door of the underground

passage, a great noise was heard, as if the enchanted castle was crumbling to the earth.

They went straight to the room of the Duke of Beloil, who had just awoke.

Michael held in his hand the golden cup, and he revealed the secret of the holes in the

shoes.

"'Jews done,' said the Duke, whichever you prefer.

My choice is already made,' replied the garden boy, and he offered his hand to the youngest

princes who blushed and lowered her eyes.

Sixteen.

The princess Lena did not become a gardener's wife, on the contrary, it was the stargazer

who became a prince, but before the marriage ceremony, the princess insisted that her lover

should tell her how he came to discover the secret.

So he showed her the two laurels which had helped him, and she, like a prudent girl, thinking

they gave him too much advantage over his wife, cut them off of the root and threw them

in the fire.

And this is why the country girls go about singing,

"'Nuniron plu avua, le laureé son coupé, and dancing in summer by the light of the

moon.'"

End of the 12 dancing princesses.