Chapter 10 The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes Once upon a time, there lived a king who had twelve daughters.
They all slept in one large room with twelve beds side by side.
The king didn't want his daughters to get into any kind of trouble.
He would lock the door to their bedroom at night.
But every morning, when the king came to say good morning to his daughters, he would notice that their shoes were damaged.
He held them up to his eyes and inspected them closely.
The heels were worn and the toes were scuffed.
The king thought, why, heels get worn down from stomping and toes are scuffed by tapping.
These girls have been dancing.
The king could never find out where or how his daughters did all this dancing.
He told his kingdom that anyone who learned the truth could choose any of his daughters to marry.
That person would also eventually become king.
The king said he would give each person three nights to find the answer.
If that person didn't succeed, he would have to leave the kingdom forever.
Many princes from many faraway lands came to the castle to try the king's challenge.
Strangely, not one of them could stay awake after dinner long enough to discover the truth about the princesses.
A lone soldier was wandering home one night and had to pass through the king's city.
He came across an old woman.
She told him about the king's challenge and asked him where he was going.
I don't really know, he answered.
I wouldn't mind trying to find out how the king's daughters wear out their shoes.
Then I could become a king one day.
The old woman told him about all of the princes who had tried before how they fell asleep and failed their tasks.
She said, I have an idea.
Try not to eat anything.
All of the princes who tried to solve the mystery fell asleep too early, and Then she handed him a magic cloak and said Pretend you are asleep, then use this to become invisible.
You'll have no trouble following the princesses at night.
He folded up the cloak and tucked it away in his bag.
Then he approached the king's castle.
The king gave him the same chance he had given all of the princesses.
He led the soldier to the room beside the princess's room and said someone will be up with your dinner very soon.
When a princess arrived with the food, the soldier pretended to eat it, but he threw it all out the window when she wasn't looking.
Then he lay down on the bed and pretended to snore loudly.
The princesses saw him fast asleep in his bed.
They laughed and ran next door to their room.
Here's another one who'll be sent away forever.
The princesses opened up the closets and pulled out their shimmering dresses.
They tied pretty ribbons around their waists and pulled out their shoes.
They could hardly wait to start dancing.
The youngest sister said, I'm worried.
I have a feeling this soldier is different.
Maybe we shouldn't go tonight.
Her oldest sister said Silly girl, can't you hear him snoring?
The princesses wrapped golden shawls around their shoulders and peeked into the room next door.
The oldest whispered, He's fast asleep.
Then she said to her youngest sister, See, there's nothing to worry about.
Let's go.
The music waits, and so do our dashing dancing partners.
The oldest sister went over to her bed and tapped on it.
A large trap door opened in the floor.
A long staircase spiraled down from the opening.
Each of the girls climbed down.
When the soldier heard the commotion next door, he put on his invisible cloak.
He crept into the princess's room and followed the youngest sister down the stairs.
She was always the last one to leave the room.
Ouch, she said.
Someone stepped on my dress.
The soldier quickly lifted his foot.
Silly girl, said one of her sisters.
You've just caught it on a nail.
No one stepped on your dress.
When they got to the bottom of the secret stairs, there was a path lined with many trees with leaves of silver.
They sparkled in the night.
The soldier knew he would need to have proof of the secret world.
He reached up and broke off a branch to show the king.
It made a large cracking sound.
The youngest daughter heard the noise.
She said, Did you hear that noise?
I'm sure something is wrong.
Maybe we should go back.
It's just the wind, one of her sisters said.
The girls turned down the next path where the leaves on the trees were made of gold.
Then they turned another corner onto a path where the leaves were made of diamonds.
Each time they came to a new path, the soldier broke off a branch to show the king.
The princesses arrived at a lake where twelve princes were waiting for them in twelve boats.
The soldier climbed into the boat that carried the youngest princess and her prince.
When the boat began moving, her prince said, Something is strange here.
I cannot figure out why the boat is so hard to row tonight.
After rowing for what seemed like a long time, they arrived at a distant castle.
It was here the soldier discovered where all the princesses would dance with their sweethearts.
That was how their shoes became worn through.
The soldier watched it all happen.
The princesses twirled, their beautiful dresses spinning and sparkling in the moonlight.
When it came time to leave, the soldier slipped into the first boat with the oldest princess.
He knew it would reach the shore first.
Once the boat arrived to drop off the girls, he raced back to the castle.
When the princesses came back inside, they saw him snoring just as he was before they'd left.
The soldier followed the princesses for the next two nights.
Each evening he took a token from the secret world to show the king.
Not one of the girls ever suspected that the man was following them.
After the third night, the king asked the soldier, Where do my daughters go each night?
They go to a magical palace where they dance all night at a ball with twelve princes.
The soldier answered.
They walk through avenues of trees with branches made of silver, gold, and diamonds.
He showed the king the branches he had broken off that first night.
Then they travel on a lake to the palace.
Then he showed the king the golden cup he had taken from the magic palace.
The king called for his daughters.
He asked them if the soldier was telling the truth.
When they saw he held the silver, gold and diamond tree branches, they knew they could not lie to their father.
They confessed that the soldier was telling the truth.
The king was satisfied.
He asked the soldier which of his daughters he would like to marry.
The soldier replied, I am no longer a young man, so perhaps I will marry the eldest.
Their wedding was celebrated with a great ball.
There was music and laughter, and the princesses danced the whole night.
They wore out their shoes for the very last time.
