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 fright

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