The Princess and the Pea af Hans Christian Andersen

prinsessen paa aerten
Résumé:

A prince wishes to find and marry a Princess. And on a cold, wet and stormy night he gets a visit by a young woman who claims to be a Princess. No one believes her, but the Queen has a test that will determine if the woman is telling the truth or not.

Annonce

The Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she woul have to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. There were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. There was always something about them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.

One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.

It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down from her hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels. And yet she said that she was a real princess.

"Well, we'll soon find that out," thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.

On this the princess had to lie all night.

In the morning she was asked how she had slept.

"Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"

Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down beds. Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that.

So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.

There, that is a true story.

Other stories from Hans Christian Andersen

  • The Tinder-box

    The Tinder-Box is one of the most popular works by HC. Andersen. It tells the tale of a young soldier who meets and old witch on his travels,...
    Read The Tinder-box
  • Little Claus and Big Claus

    This story by H.C. Andersen uses sarcasm and exaggeration as tools to convey a humorous tale about the disparity between two people both named Claus. One is rich...
    Read Little Claus and Big Claus
  • Thumbelina

    There once was a little bitty girl the size of a pinky finger named Thumbelina who lived with an elderly lady. One day she gets kidnapped by a...
    Read Thumbelina
  • The little match Girl

    This well known fairy tale from H.C. Andersen speaks of the fate of the poorest people in our world. It’s about the poor young girl who fails to...
    Read The little match Girl
  • The Ugly Duckling

    This is one of the most beloved tales from H.C. Andersen. It’s inspiring message of change and maturing speaks to you on so many levels. It’s about an...
    Read The Ugly Duckling
  • Clumsy Hans

    This tale from H.C. Andersen is about Clumsy Hans, who, with his two well educated brothers compete to woo the Princess. The King’s daughter wishes to marry a...
    Read Clumsy Hans
  • The Little Mermaid

    Far out in the ocean where the water is the clearest blue, lives the Sea King with his family. His daughter dreams about the world above the waters...
    Read The Little Mermaid
  • The Fir Tree

    This sad tale is about a small Fir tree that dreams of getting out of the forest and into a home to be decorated. After many years the...
    Read The Fir Tree
  • The Story of a Mother

    This is a very dark and sad tale by H.C. Andersen, which is not recommended as a bedtime story for your child. It’s about a mother’s grief at...
    Read The Story of a Mother
  • The Nightingale

    This tale takes place in China where the Emperor hears rumors of a songbird in his royal gardens that has the most spectacular songs. The Emperor is enthralled...
    Read The Nightingale
Annonce
Annonce