The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground
Encyclopedia
The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground is a German fairy tale
. Andrew Lang
included it in The Violet Fairy Book.
sons and divided his property. The older two squandered theirs, but the youngest son
was prudent, and became rich. He had an underground castle built, killed the architect, imprisoned his daughter there, and decreed that whoever could find her would marry her, but whoever tried and failed would die. Many did die.
A clever and handsome young man had a shepherd sew him into a golden sheep fleece and then bring him to the king. When the king wanted to buy the sheep, the shepherd said he could only lend it for three days. The king took the sheep to the daughter, using a magical charm to open her castle. In the night, the man threw off the sheepskin, and the princess fell in love with him. She told him that the king would insist on his finding her among her maids, after he had turned
them into ducks. She would preen, and so he could identify her.
When the three days were up, the shepherd came for his sheep, and the king returned him, back in his sheephide. The young man found the princess by the same way as the king had gone, and the king demanded he identify her when he had turned her and all her maids to ducks. The young man did this, and the king had to yield.
and The Golden Lion
.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
. Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
included it in The Violet Fairy Book.
Synopsis
A king had threeRule of three (writing)
The "rule of three" is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. The reader/audience of this form of text is also more likely to consume information if it is written in groups of...
sons and divided his property. The older two squandered theirs, but the youngest son
Youngest son
The youngest son is a stock character in fairy tales, where he features as the hero. He is usually the third son, but sometimes there are more brothers, and sometimes he has only one; usually, they have no sisters....
was prudent, and became rich. He had an underground castle built, killed the architect, imprisoned his daughter there, and decreed that whoever could find her would marry her, but whoever tried and failed would die. Many did die.
A clever and handsome young man had a shepherd sew him into a golden sheep fleece and then bring him to the king. When the king wanted to buy the sheep, the shepherd said he could only lend it for three days. The king took the sheep to the daughter, using a magical charm to open her castle. In the night, the man threw off the sheepskin, and the princess fell in love with him. She told him that the king would insist on his finding her among her maids, after he had turned
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
them into ducks. She would preen, and so he could identify her.
When the three days were up, the shepherd came for his sheep, and the king returned him, back in his sheephide. The young man found the princess by the same way as the king had gone, and the king demanded he identify her when he had turned her and all her maids to ducks. The young man did this, and the king had to yield.
Motifs
This method of winning the princess is also found in the fairy tales The Fair FioritaThe Fair Fiorita
The Fair Fiorita is an Italian fairy tale collected by Thomas Frederick Crane in Italian Popular Tales. Italo Calvino included a variant of it, The Princesses Wed to the First Passer-By, in his Italian Folktales.-Synopsis:...
and The Golden Lion
The Golden Lion
The Golden Lion is an Italian fairy tale collected by Laura Gonzenbach in Sicilianische Märchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Pink Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...
.