The Riddle (Grimm)
Short summary
A King's son traveled with a faithful servant through a forest. They sheltered at a witch's house despite warnings from her stepdaughter.
The witch tried to poison them with a parting drink, but the glass broke and killed their horse. A raven ate the dead horse, and the servant took it. At an inn, twelve murderers ate the raven in soup and died from the poison. The King's son continued to a town where a beautiful princess demanded suitors solve her riddles or die.
He posed the riddle: "One slew none, and yet slew twelve." She sent maids to spy on him at night, but his servant chased them away.
Then came the princess herself... she spoke to him, and hoped that he would answer in his sleep, as many do, but he was awake, and understood and heard everything quite well.
He revealed the answer and kept her mantle as proof. The judges declared they should marry.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The witchs house and the poisoned horse
A prince seized with wanderlust traveled the world with only his loyal companion. One evening in a great forest, darkness overtook them and they could find no shelter. They encountered a young maiden heading toward a small house, and the prince asked if they could find lodging there.
Oh, yes, said the girl in a sad voice, that you certainly can, but I do not advise you to venture it. Do not go in... My stepmother practises wicked arts
The journey continues and the poisoned raven
Despite the warning, the prince entered the witch's house where an old woman with red eyes sat by the fire. She pretended friendliness but the daughter warned them to eat and drink nothing. They slept safely until morning, when the witch offered them a parting drink as they prepared to leave.
The prince rode away quickly, but his servant remained to secure his saddle. When the witch brought the poisoned drink, she told the servant to take it to his master. At that moment, the glass broke and the poison spilled onto the horse, killing it instantly.
Take that to your master, said she. But at that instant the glass broke and the poison spirted on the horse, and it was so strong that the animal immediately fell down dead.
The inn of murderers and their demise
The servant found a raven feeding on the dead horse and killed it, thinking they might need food. They journeyed deeper into the forest until nightfall, when they found an inn. The servant gave the raven to the innkeeper to prepare for supper, unknowingly entering a den of murderers.
Hardly, however, had they swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, before they all fell down dead, for the raven had communicated to them the poison from the horseflesh.
Arrival at the princesss town
Only the innkeeper's honest daughter survived, having taken no part in the murderous deeds. She showed the travelers the criminals' hoarded treasures, but the prince refused to take anything and continued his journey.
After traveling for a long time, they reached a town ruled by a beautiful but proud princess. She had proclaimed a deadly challenge to all suitors.
She had caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever should set her a riddle which she could not guess, that man should be her husband; but if she guessed it, his head must be cut off.
The riddle contest and the princesss schemes
Nine suitors had already lost their lives to the princess's cleverness, but the prince, blinded by her beauty, was willing to risk everything. He presented his riddle to her, based on their recent adventures.
One slew none, and yet slew twelve... her wisdom was at an end. As she did not know how to help herself, she ordered her maid to creep into the lord's sleeping-chamber
For the first time, the princess could not solve a riddle. She sent her maid to spy on the prince's dreams, hoping he would reveal the answer in his sleep. However, the clever servant had taken his master's place in bed and chased away the maid with rods, tearing off her mantle.
The second night, the princess sent her maid-in-waiting, but the servant again drove her away and took her mantle. On the third night, believing himself safe, the prince slept in his own bed. The princess came herself, wearing a misty-grey mantle, and questioned him directly.
A raven, which ate of a dead and poisoned horse, and died of it... That means twelve murderers, who ate the raven and died of it.
The final confrontation and victory
The prince, who had been awake, held fast to the princess's mantle as she tried to escape. The next morning, she announced she had solved the riddle, but the prince demanded a hearing before the judges.
She stole into my room in the night and questioned me, otherwise she could not have discovered it... Then were the three mantles brought thither by the servant
When the judges saw the three mantles as proof of the princess's deception, including her distinctive misty-grey one, they declared the prince victorious. They ordered the mantle to be embroidered with gold and silver to serve as the wedding mantle, and the princess became his bride.