Nowitchancedthatanoldsoldier, whohadbeenwoundedinbattleandcouldfightnolonger, passedthroughthecountrywherethiskingreigned: andashewastravellingthrough a wood, hemetanoldwoman, whoaskedhimwherehewasgoing. 'I hardlyknowwhere I amgoing, orwhat I hadbetterdo,' saidthesoldier; 'but I think I shouldlikeverywelltofindoutwhereitisthattheprincessesdance, andthenintime I mightbe a king.' 'Well,' saidtheolddame, 'thatisnoveryhardtask: onlytakecarenottodrinkanyofthewinewhichoneoftheprincesseswillbringtoyouintheevening; andassoonassheleavesyoupretendtobefastasleep.'
4
Thenshegavehim a cloak, andsaid, 'Assoonasyouputthatonyouwillbecomeinvisible, andyouwillthenbeabletofollowtheprincesseswherevertheygo.' Whenthesoldierheardallthisgoodcounsel, hedeterminedtotryhisluck: sohewenttotheking, andsaidhewaswillingtoundertakethetask.
5
Hewasaswellreceivedastheothershadbeen, andthekingorderedfineroyalrobestobegivenhim; andwhentheeveningcamehewasledtotheouterchamber. Justashewasgoingtoliedown, theeldestoftheprincessesbroughthim a cupofwine; butthesoldierthrewitallawaysecretly, takingcarenottodrink a drop. Thenhelaidhimselfdownonhisbed, andin a littlewhilebegantosnoreveryloudasifhewasfastasleep. Whenthetwelveprincessesheardthistheylaughedheartily; andtheeldestsaid, 'Thisfellowtoomighthavedone a wiserthingthanlosehislifeinthisway!' Thentheyroseupandopenedtheirdrawersandboxes, andtookoutalltheirfineclothes, anddressedthemselvesattheglass, andskippedaboutasiftheywereeagertobegindancing. Buttheyoungestsaid, 'I don't knowhowitis, whileyouaresohappy I feelveryuneasy; I amsuresomemischancewillbefallus.' 'Yousimpleton,' saidtheeldest, 'youarealwaysafraid; haveyouforgottenhowmanykings' sonshavealreadywatchedinvain? Andasforthissoldier, evenif I hadnotgivenhimhissleepingdraught, hewouldhavesleptsoundlyenough.'
6
Whentheywereallready, theywentandlookedatthesoldier; buthesnoredon, anddidnotstirhandorfoot: sotheythoughttheywerequitesafe; andtheeldestwentuptoherownbedandclappedherhands, andthebedsankintothefloorand a trap-doorflewopen. Thesoldiersawthemgoingdownthroughthetrap-dooroneafteranother, theeldestleadingtheway; andthinkinghehadnotimetolose, hejumpedup, putonthecloakwhichtheoldwomanhadgivenhim, andfollowedthem; butinthemiddleofthestairshetrodonthegownoftheyoungestprincess, andshecriedouttohersisters, 'Allisnotright; someonetookholdofmygown.' 'Yousillycreature!' saidtheeldest, 'itisnothingbut a nailinthewall.' Thendowntheyallwent, andatthebottomtheyfoundthemselvesin a mostdelightfulgroveoftrees; andtheleaveswereallofsilver, andglitteredandsparkledbeautifully. Thesoldierwishedtotakeawaysometokenoftheplace; sohebrokeoff a littlebranch, andtherecame a loudnoisefromthetree. Thentheyoungestdaughtersaidagain, 'I amsureallisnotright—didnotyouhearthatnoise? Thatneverhappenedbefore.' Buttheeldestsaid, 'Itisonlyourprinces, whoareshoutingforjoyatourapproach.'
7
Thentheycametoanothergroveoftrees, wherealltheleaveswereofgold; andafterwardsto a third, wheretheleaveswereallglitteringdiamonds. Andthesoldierbroke a branchfromeach; andeverytimetherewas a loudnoise, whichmadetheyoungestsistertremblewithfear; buttheeldeststillsaid, itwasonlytheprinces, whowerecryingforjoy. Sotheywentontilltheycameto a greatlake; andatthesideofthelaketherelaytwelvelittleboatswithtwelvehandsomeprincesinthem, whoseemedtobewaitingtherefortheprincesses.
8
Oneoftheprincesseswentintoeachboat, andthesoldiersteppedintothesameboatwiththeyoungest. Astheywererowingoverthelake, theprincewhowasintheboatwiththeyoungestprincessandthesoldiersaid, 'I donotknowwhyitis, butthough I amrowingwithallmymightwedonotgetonsofastasusual, and I amquitetired: theboatseemsveryheavytoday.' 'Itisonlytheheatoftheweather,' saidtheprincess: 'I feelitverywarmtoo.'