TLDR;
This story is about a king with twelve princesses who secretly dance every night. A soldier discovers their secret with the help of an old lady and an invisibility cloak. He chooses to marry the eldest princess and is set to become king. Key takeaways include:
- The importance of cleverness and resourcefulness.
- The value of help from unexpected sources.
- The reward for solving mysteries and uncovering secrets.
The King and His Twelve Daughters [0:04]
Once upon a time, there was a king with twelve beautiful princesses. The king was worried because the princesses were secretly dancing every night, and he didn't know where they went. He announced that anyone who could discover the secret would get to marry one of the princesses and become the next king. But if they failed after three nights, they would be killed.
The Unsuccessful Princes [1:12]
Many princes tried to uncover the secret, but they all failed. They were offered wine by the princesses, which made them fall asleep, and they couldn't follow the princesses. As a result, the king had them killed. The king was sad because he couldn't find out where his daughters were going every night.
The Soldier and the Old Lady [2:54]
A soldier who had left the army due to an injury decided to try his luck. On his way to the King City, he helped an old lady. The old lady gave him a cloak that would make him invisible, so he could follow the princesses. She advised him this cloak will help him to find out where the princesses go.
Discovering the Secret Passage [4:10]
The soldier was welcomed by the king and given a room next to the princesses' chamber. The eldest princess offered him wine, but he pretended to drink it by hiding a sponge in his mouth. He pretended to fall asleep, and the princesses, thinking he was asleep, got dressed and tapped on the floor, revealing a secret passage.
The Underground World [5:15]
The soldier, wearing the invisibility cloak, followed the princesses down the secret passage. They went through gardens with silver and gold leaves and an avenue of diamonds. The soldier broke off a silver leaf, a golden leaf and picked up a diamond as proof. Each time he did this, the youngest princess got scared by the cracking sound.
The Dancing and the Return [6:41]
The princesses arrived at a lake where twelve princes were waiting with boats. Each princess got into a boat with a prince, and the soldier joined the youngest princess. They reached a castle where they danced all night. The soldier returned with the princesses, making sure to get back to his room before them.
Revealing the Truth and the Wedding [8:05]
The next day, the soldier told the king about the secret underground castle and showed him the silver and gold leaves and the diamond as proof. The princesses confessed to their nightly dances. The king was happy and asked the soldier which daughter he wanted to marry. The soldier chose the eldest princess, and they got married. The soldier was crowned as the future king, and they all lived happily ever after.
