The Twelve Huntsmen

: Grimms' Fairy Tales

There was once a king's son who had a bride whom he loved very much. And

when he was sitting beside her and very happy, news came that his father

lay sick unto death, and desired to see him once again before his end.

Then he said to his beloved: 'I must now go and leave you, I give you

a ring as a remembrance of me. When I am king, I will return and fetch

you.' So he rode away, and when he reached his father, the latter was
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r /> dangerously ill, and near his death. He said to him: 'Dear son, I wished

to see you once again before my end, promise me to marry as I wish,' and

he named a certain king's daughter who was to be his wife. The son was

in such trouble that he did not think what he was doing, and said: 'Yes,



dear father, your will shall be done,' and thereupon the king shut his

eyes, and died.



When therefore the son had been proclaimed king, and the time of

mourning was over, he was forced to keep the promise which he had given

his father, and caused the king's daughter to be asked in marriage, and

she was promised to him. His first betrothed heard of this, and fretted

so much about his faithfulness that she nearly died. Then her father

said to her: 'Dearest child, why are you so sad? You shall have

whatsoever you will.' She thought for a moment and said: 'Dear father,

I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size.'

The father said: 'If it be possible, your desire shall be fulfilled,'

and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven

young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face,

figure, and size.



When they came to the king's daughter, she had twelve suits of

huntsmen's clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put

on the huntsmen's clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit.

Thereupon she took her leave of her father, and rode away with them,

and rode to the court of her former betrothed, whom she loved so dearly.

Then she asked if he required any huntsmen, and if he would take all of

them into his service. The king looked at her and did not know her, but

as they were such handsome fellows, he said: 'Yes,' and that he would

willingly take them, and now they were the king's twelve huntsmen.



The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew

all concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he

said to the king: 'You think you have twelve huntsmen?' 'Yes,' said the

king, 'they are twelve huntsmen.' The lion continued: 'You are mistaken,

they are twelve girls.' The king said: 'That cannot be true! How

will you prove that to me?' 'Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the

ante-chamber,' answered the lion, 'and then you will soon see. Men have

a firm step, and when they walk over peas none of them stir, but girls

trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about.' The king

was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn.



There was, however, a servant of the king's who favoured the huntsmen,

and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went to

them and repeated everything, and said: 'The lion wants to make the king

believe that you are girls.' Then the king's daughter thanked him, and

said to her maidens: 'Show some strength, and step firmly on the peas.'

So next morning when the king had the twelve huntsmen called before

him, and they came into the ante-chamber where the peas were lying, they

stepped so firmly on them, and had such a strong, sure walk, that not

one of the peas either rolled or stirred. Then they went away again,

and the king said to the lion: 'You have lied to me, they walk just like

men.' The lion said: 'They have been informed that they were going to

be put to the test, and have assumed some strength. Just let twelve

spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber, and they will go to

them and be pleased with them, and that is what no man would do.'

The king liked the advice, and had the spinning-wheels placed in the

ante-chamber.



But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to them,

and disclosed the project. So when they were alone the king's daughter

said to her eleven girls: 'Show some constraint, and do not look round

at the spinning-wheels.' And next morning when the king had his twelve

huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never once

looked at the spinning-wheels. Then the king again said to the lion:

'You have deceived me, they are men, for they have not looked at the

spinning-wheels.' The lion replied: 'They have restrained themselves.'

The king, however, would no longer believe the lion.



The twelve huntsmen always followed the king to the chase, and his

liking for them continually increased. Now it came to pass that

once when they were out hunting, news came that the king's bride was

approaching. When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that

her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground. The

king thought something had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to him,

wanted to help him, and drew his glove off. Then he saw the ring which

he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face he

recognized her. Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and

when she opened her eyes he said: 'You are mine, and I am yours, and

no one in the world can alter that.' He sent a messenger to the other

bride, and entreated her to return to her own kingdom, for he had a wife

already, and someone who had just found an old key did not require a new

one. Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again taken

into favour, because, after all, he had told the truth.



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