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there was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. they slept in twelve beds all in one room and when they went to bed, the doors were shut and locked up. however, every morning their shoes were found to be quite worn through as if they had been danced in all night. nobody could find out how it happened, or where the princesses had been.
so the king made it known to all the land that if any person could discover the secret and find out where it was that the princesses danced in the night, he would have the one he liked best to take as his wife, and would be king after his death. but whoever tried and did not succeed, after three days and nights, they would be put to death.
a king’s son soon came. he was well entertained, and in the evening was taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses lay in their twelve beds. there he was to sit and watch where they went to dance; and, in order that nothing could happen without him hearing it, the door of his chamber was left open. but the king’s son soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes.the same thing happened the second and third night and so the king ordered his head to be cut off.
after him came several others; but they all had the same luck, and all lost their lives in the same way.now it happened that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king reigned, and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going.’i hardly know where i am going, or what i had better do,’ said the soldier; ’but i think i would like to find out where it is that the princesses dance, and then in time i might be a king.’’well,’ said the old woman, ’that is not a very hard task: only take care not to drink any of the wine which one of the princesses will bring to you in the evening; and as soon as she leaves you pretend to be fast asleep.’