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.
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