The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (Rackham)/The Twelve Huntsmen
The Twelve Huntsmen
HERE was once a Prince, who was betrothed to a Maiden, the daughter of a King, whom he loved very much. One day when they were together, and very happy, a messenger came from the Prince’s father, who was lying ill, to summon him home as he wished to see him before he died. He said to his beloved, ‘I must go away, and leave you now; but I give you this ring as a keepsake. When I am King, I will come and fetch you away.’
Then he rode off, and when he got home he found his father on his death-bed. His father said, ‘My dear son, I wanted to see you once more before I die. Promise to marry the bride I have chosen for you,’ and he named a certain Princess.
His son was very sad, and without reflecting promised to do what his father wished, and thereupon the King closed his eyes and died.
Now, when the Prince had been proclaimed King, and the period of mourning was past, the time came when he had to keep his promise to his father. He made his offer to the Princess, and it was accepted. His betrothed heard of this, and grieved so much over his faithlessness that she very nearly died. The King her father asked, ‘Dear child, why are you so sad? You shall have whatever you desire.’
She thought for a moment, then said, ‘Dear father, I want eleven maidens all exactly like me in face, figure, and height.’
The King said, ‘If it is possible, your wish shall be fulfilled.’
Then he caused a search to be made all over his kingdom, till the eleven maidens were found, all exactly like his daughter. The Princess ordered twelve huntsmen’s dresses to be made, which she commanded the maidens to wear, putting on the twelfth herself. Then she took leave of her father, and rode away with the maidens to the court of her former bridegroom whom she loved so dearly. She asked him if he wanted any Huntsmen, and whether he would take them all into his service. The King did not recognise her, but, as they were all so handsome, he said Yes, he would engage them. So they all entered the King’s service.
Now, the King had a Lion which was a wonderful creature, for he knew all secret and hidden things. He said to the King one evening, ‘You fancy you have twelve Huntsmen there, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ said the King.
‘You are mistaken,’ said the Lion. ‘They are twelve maidens.’
The King answered, ‘That can’t be true! How can you prove it?’
‘Oh, have some peas strewn in your ante-room to-morrow, and you will soon see. Men have a firm tread, and when they walk on peas they don’t move; but maidens trip and trot and slide, and make the peas roll about.’
The King was pleased with the Lion’s advice, and ordered the peas to be strewn on the floor.
There was, however, a servant of the King who favoured the Huntsmen, and when he heard that they were to be put to this test, he went and told them all about it, and said, ‘The Lion is going to prove to the King that you are maidens.’
The Princess thanked him, and said afterwards to her maidens, ‘Do your utmost to tread firmly on the peas.’
Next morning, when the King ordered them to be called, they walked into the ante-chamber with so firm a tread that not a pea moved When they had gone away, the King said to the Lion, ‘You lied; they walked just like men.’
But the Lion answered, ‘They had been warned of the test, and were prepared for it. Just let twelve spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber, and they will be delighted at the sight, as no man would be.’
This plan also pleased the King, and he ordered the spinning wheels. But again the kind servant warned the Huntsmen of the plan. When they were alone, the Princess said to her maidens, ‘Control yourselves, and don’t so much as look at the spinning-wheels.’
When the King next morning sent for the Huntsmen, they walked through the ante-chamber without even glancing at the spinning-wheels.
Then the King said to the Lion, ‘You lied tome. They are men; they never looked at the spinning-wheels.’
The Lion answered, ‘They knew that they were on their trial, and restrained themselves.’
But the King would not believe him any more.
The twelve Huntsmen always went with the King on his hunting expeditions, and the longer he had them, the better he liked them. Now, it happened one day when they were out hunting, that the news came of the royal bride’s approach.
When the true bride heard it, the shock was so great that her heart nearly stopped, and she fell down in a dead faint. The King, thinking something had happened to his favourite Huntsman, ran to help him, and pulled off his glove. Then he saw the ring which he had given to his first betrothed, and when he looked her in the face he recognised her. He was so moved that he kissed her, and when she opened her eyes he said, ‘Thou art mine, and I am thine, and nobody in the world shall separate us.’
Then he sent a messenger to the other bride, and begged her to go home, as he already had a wife, and he who has an old dish does not need a new one. Their marriage was then celebrated, and the Lion was taken into favour again, as, after all, he had spoken the truth.