Prevod

Once upon a time there was a king who had twelve daughters, each more beautiful than the last. They all slept in one great room, with their beds standing side by side, and every evening, when they had gone to bed, the king locked and bolted the door. But when he unlocked it in the morning, he would find that their shoes had been danced to pieces, and no one could discover how it had happened. So the king had it proclaimed that whoever could find out where they danced at night might choose one of them for his wife and become king after his death. But anyone who offered to try and failed to discover the secret within three days and nights would forfeit his life. Before long, a king’s son came forward and offered to undertake the venture. He was warmly received, and that evening he was shown into a room adjoining the princesses’ bedchamber. His bed had been made up there, and he was to keep watch and see where they went to dance. To prevent them from doing anything in secret or leaving by some other way, the door to their room was left open. But the prince’s eyelids grew as heavy as lead, and he fell asleep. When he awoke in the morning, all twelve had been out dancing, for there stood their shoes with holes in the soles. The second and third evenings were no different, and his head was cut off without mercy. Many others came afterward and offered to attempt the venture, but every one of them lost his life. Now it happened that a poor soldier, who had been wounded and could no longer serve, was on his way to the town where the king lived. He met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. “I scarcely know myself,” he said, and added in jest, “I should rather like to find out where the king’s daughters dance their shoes to pieces, and become king afterward.” “That is not so difficult,” said the old woman. “You must not drink the wine they bring you in the evening, and you must pretend to be fast asleep.” Then she gave him a little cloak and said, “When you put this on, you will be invisible, and then you can follow the twelve without being seen.” Once the soldier had received this good advice, he began to take the matter seriously. He plucked up his courage, went before the king, and presented himself as a suitor. He was received as kindly as the others had been and dressed in royal clothes. That evening, at bedtime, he was led into the adjoining room. As he was about to go to bed, the eldest princess came and brought him a cup of wine. But he had tied a sponge beneath his chin and let the wine run into it, without drinking a drop. Then he lay down, and after a little while he began to snore as though he were deep asleep. The twelve princesses heard him and laughed, and the eldest said, “He might have spared himself the loss of his life.” Then they got up, opened wardrobes, chests, and boxes, and took out splendid dresses. They adorned themselves before the mirrors, skipped about, and looked forward eagerly to the dance. Only the youngest said, “I don’t know—you are all so happy, but I feel very strange. I am sure some misfortune is going to befall us.” “You silly goose,” said the eldest, “you are always afraid. Have you forgotten how many princes have already come here in vain? I need not even have given the soldier a sleeping draught. The lout would never have woken anyway.” When they were all ready, they went to look at the soldier, but his eyes were shut and he did not stir, so they felt quite safe. Then the eldest went to her bed and tapped it. At once it sank into the earth, and they went down through the opening one after another, with the eldest leading the way. The soldier, who had seen everything, did not hesitate long. He put on his little cloak and followed the youngest down. Halfway down the stairs, he trod lightly on her dress. She started in fright and cried, “What is that? Who is holding my dress?” “Don’t be so foolish,” said the eldest. “You have caught it on a hook.” They went the rest of the way down, and at the bottom they found themselves in a wondrously beautiful avenue of trees, whose leaves were all silver and shimmered and shone. The soldier thought, “You must take some proof away with you,” and broke off a branch. A tremendous crack rang out from the tree. The youngest cried again, “Something is wrong! Did you hear that bang?” But the eldest said, “Those are salutes of joy, because we shall soon have freed our princes from their enchantment.” Next they came to an avenue where all the leaves were gold, and at last to a third, where they were of pure diamond. The soldier broke a branch from each, and each time there was such a crash that the youngest started in terror. But the eldest insisted that these were salutes of joy. They went on until they came to a great lake, where twelve little boats lay waiting. In each boat sat a handsome prince, waiting for the twelve princesses, and each took one aboard. The soldier got into the boat with the youngest. Then the prince said, “I don’t understand it. The boat is much heavier today, and I must row with all my strength to make it move.” “What could that be,” said the youngest, “but the warm weather? I feel so hot myself.” On the far side of the lake stood a beautiful, brightly lit castle, from which came the merry sound of drums and trumpets. They rowed across and went inside, and each prince danced with his sweetheart. The soldier danced among them unseen, and whenever one of the princesses held a cup of wine, he drank it dry, so that it was empty when she raised it to her lips. This, too, frightened the youngest, but the eldest always silenced her. They danced until three o’clock the next morning, when all their shoes were worn through and they had to stop. The princes rowed them back across the lake, and this time the soldier sat in the front of the boat beside the eldest. On the shore, the princesses took leave of their princes and promised to return the following night. When they reached the stairs, the soldier ran ahead and lay down in his bed. By the time the twelve came slowly and wearily up, he was already snoring so loudly that they could all hear him, and they said, “We are safe from him.” Then they took off their fine dresses and put them away, set their worn-out shoes beneath their beds, and lay down. The next morning the soldier said nothing, wishing to see more of these strange doings, and he went with them again on the second and third nights. Everything happened just as it had the first time, and each night they danced until their shoes fell to pieces. On the third night, however, he took a cup away as proof. When the hour came for him to give his answer, he took the three branches and the cup and went before the king. The twelve princesses stood behind the door, listening to hear what he would say. When the king asked, “Where have my twelve daughters danced their shoes to pieces at night?” he answered, “With twelve princes in an underground castle.” He told the king all that had happened and brought out his proofs. Then the king summoned his daughters and asked whether the soldier had told the truth. When they saw that their secret had been betrayed and that denial was useless, they had to confess everything. Then the king asked the soldier which of them he wished to have for his wife. “I am no longer young,” he answered, “so give me the eldest.” The wedding was held that very day, and he was promised the kingdom after the king’s death. But the princes were placed under the enchantment again for as many days as they had spent nights dancing with the twelve princesses.