The Twelve Huntsmen (Grimm)
Division into chapters is editorial.
The broken promise and forced marriage
A prince lived happily with his beloved betrothed until urgent news arrived that his father lay dying and wished to see him one final time. Before departing, the prince promised his love that he would return as king to marry her, giving her a ring as a token of remembrance.
I must now go and leave thee, I give thee a ring as a remembrance of me. When I am King, I will return and fetch thee.
When the prince reached his father's bedside, he found him near death. The dying king extracted a promise from his son to marry a specific princess of his choosing. In his grief and distress, the son agreed without thinking clearly.
After becoming king and completing his mourning period, he was compelled to honor his father's dying wish. He sent for the chosen princess and became engaged to her, breaking his promise to his first love.
The huntsmens disguise
When the first betrothed learned of her beloved's faithlessness, she nearly died from grief. Her father, seeing her distress, offered to grant her any wish to ease her suffering. After careful consideration, she made an unusual request.
Dear father, I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size... she had twelve suits of huntsmen's clothes made, all alike.
Her father searched throughout his kingdom until he found eleven maidens who perfectly matched his daughter's appearance. The princess then had twelve identical huntsmen's suits made. She and the eleven maidens disguised themselves and rode to her former betrothed's court.
The disguised princess inquired whether the king required huntsmen and offered their services. The king, not recognizing her but impressed by their handsome appearance, gladly accepted all twelve into his service.
The lions tests
The king possessed a remarkable lion that could perceive all hidden and secret things. One evening, the lion warned the king that his twelve huntsmen were actually twelve girls in disguise. When the king demanded proof, the lion devised a test.
The lion suggested scattering peas in the antechamber, explaining that men walk firmly without disturbing the peas, while girls trip and skip, causing the peas to roll. However, a loyal servant who favored the huntsmen overheard this plan and warned them.
Forewarned, the disguised women walked firmly across the peas the next morning, leaving them undisturbed. The frustrated lion then proposed a second test involving spinning wheels, claiming that women would be naturally drawn to them while men would ignore them completely.
Again the servant warned the huntsmen, and they successfully resisted looking at the spinning wheels. The lion attempted to convince the king that they had learned of the test beforehand, but the king no longer believed his advisor's claims.
The twelve huntsmen continued to accompany the king on his hunting expeditions, and his fondness for them grew steadily. They had successfully maintained their disguise and earned the king's trust and affection.
The revelation and reunion
During one hunting expedition, news arrived that the king's second betrothed was approaching for their wedding. Upon hearing this devastating news, the true bride's heart nearly broke and she fainted. The king, concerned for his dear huntsman, rushed to help and removed the glove from the unconscious figure's hand.
Then he saw the ring which he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face he recognized her. Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her.
When she opened her eyes, the king declared his eternal love and sent a messenger to dismiss the second bride, explaining that he already had a wife. The wedding was celebrated, and the lion was restored to favor for having told the truth all along.