The Twelve Dancing Princesses
The Mystery of the Shoes
Twelve beautiful princesses in ballgowns standing in a row
Once upon a time there was a castle in which dwelt twelve of the most beautiful Princesses in all the world; and they were the only children of the King. They lived as princesses should, staying in bed late every morning. But there was a mystery about them: although they were locked each night into the big stone room high up in the keep of the castle - locked in with three huge bolts every night - every morning their satin shoes were worn into holes.
When asked what they had been doing all night, they always replied: 'Why, sleeping, of course!' And indeed no sound was ever heard coming from their room during the night. Yet each day there were the satin shoes worn into holes.
A garden boy named Michael arrived at the castle. A Fairy had appeared to him and given him magical tools: a golden rake, a golden bucket, and a silken towel that could make him invisible. With these gifts, he intended to solve the mystery. He became the flower boy, and when Lina, the youngest Princess, saw him, she paused to take her bouquet and said: 'La! What a pretty lad our new flower boy is!'