"Good-day, father hollenthe." "Many thanks, pif-paf-poltrie." "May Ibe allowed to have your daughter?" "Oh, yes, if mother malcho milchcow, brother high-and-mighty, sister kasetraut, and fair katrinelje are willing, you can have her." "Where is mother malcho, then?" "She is in the cow-house, milking the cow.""Good-day, mother malcho." "Many thanks, pif-paf-poltrie." "May I be allowed to have your daughter?" "Oh, yes, if father hollenthe, brother high-and-mighty, sister kasetraut, and fair katrinelje are willing, you can have her." "Where is brother high-and-mighty, then?""He is in the room chopping some wood.""Good-day, brother high-and-mighty." "Many thanks, pif-paf-poltrie.""May I be allowed to have your sister?" "Oh, yes, if father hollenthe, mother malcho, sister kasetraut, and fair katrinelje are willing, you can have her." "Where is sister kasetraut, then?" "She is in the garden cutting cabbages.""Good-day, sister kasetraut." "Many thanks, pif-paf-poltrie." "May Ibe allowed to have your sister?" "Oh, yes, if father hollenthe, mother malcho, brother high-and-mighty, and fair katrinelje are willing, you may have her." "Where is fair katrinelje, then." "She is in the room counting out her farthings.""Good day, fair katrinelje." "Many thanks, pif-paf-poltrie." "Will you be my bride?" "Oh, yes, if father hollenthe, mother malcho, brother high-and-mighty, and sister kasetraut are willing, I am ready.""Fair katrinelje, how much dowry do you have?" "Fourteen farthings in ready money, three and a half groschen owing to me, half a pound of dried apples, a handful of pretzels, and a handful of roots.
And many other things are mine, Have I not a dowry fine?""Pif-paf-poltrie, what is your trade? Are you a tailor?" "Something better." "A shoemaker?" "Something better." "A husbandman?""Something better." "A joiner?" "Something better." "A smith?""Something better." "A miller?" "Something better." "Perhaps a broom-maker?" "Yes, that's what I am, is it not a fine trade?"There was once upon a time a king who had twelve daughters, each one more beautiful than the other. They all slept together in one chamber, in which their beds stood side by side, and every night when they were in them the king locked the door, and bolted it. 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 there was no difference, and then his head was struck off without mercy.
Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise, but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier, who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to the town where the king lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. "I hardly know myself," answered he, and added in jest, "I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their shoes into holes, and thus become king." "That is not so difficult," said the old woman, "you must not drink the wine which will be brought to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep." With that she gave him a little cloak, and said, "If you wear this, you will be invisible, and then you can steal after the twelve." When the soldier had received this good advice, he fell to in earnest, took heart, went to the king, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that evening at bed-time into the antechamber, and as he was about to go to bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking a drop.
Then he lay down and when he had lain a while, he began to snore, as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that, and laughed, and the eldest said, "He, too, might as well have saved his life." With that they got up, opened wardrobes, presses, cupboards, and brought out pretty dresses, dressed themselves before the mirrors, sprang about, and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance.
Only the youngest said, "I know not how it is, you are very happy, but I feel very strange, some misfortune is certainly about to befall us." "You are a goose, who are always frightened," said the eldest.