Section 1
Long, long ago there lived a prince who was deeply in love with his betrothed. One day, while they were sitting together happily, word reached him that his father was gravely ill and wished to see him before he passed away.
The prince turned to his beloved and said, "I must leave now, but I will give you this ring as a token of my love. I promise to return and bring you back with me as soon as I become king."
With that, he rode off to be with his ailing father, who was on the brink of death.
The king spoke to his son and said, "My dearest child, I wanted to lay eyes on you once more before I pass. Please make a promise to me that you will marry the woman I have chosen for you." The king then named a certain princess who he wished for his son to marry.
Overwhelmed with sorrow, the son responded without giving it much thought, "Yes, dear father, I will do as you wish."
With that, the king peacefully closed his eyes and breathed his last breath.
Once the son was crowned king and the mourning period had passed, he had to honor the promise he made to his father. He proposed to the princess who was chosen for him, and she accepted his proposal.
However, his first fiancée was heartbroken when she learned of his infidelity. She was so saddened that she nearly passed away.
Her father noticed her despair and comforted her saying, "My dear child, why are you so unhappy? Tell me what you desire, and I will make it happen for you."
After pondering for a while, she uttered, "My dear father, I desire eleven girls who resemble me precisely in appearance, physique, and stature."
Her father replied, "If it's feasible, I shall grant your wish," and he had his entire kingdom searched until eleven girls were located who matched his daughter's appearance, physique, and stature.
Upon their arrival to the princess, she commissioned the tailoring of a dozen matching hunting attires for her entourage. The eleven young ladies donned the respective outfits, while the princess adorned herself with the twelfth attire.
Having made the necessary arrangements, the princess bid farewell to her father and embarked on the journey with her companions. They rode towards the royal court of her former betrothed, whom she held in great affection. Upon arrival, she approached the king and inquired if he was in need of skilled huntsmen, offering the entire group's services. The king, impressed by their handsome appearances, agreed to hire them without hesitation, thus officially making them the twelve huntsmen in his employ. However, the king failed to recognize the princess in her disguise.
At present, the prince owned a miraculous creature, a lion endowed with the ability to perceive all concealed and undisclosed information. One evening, the lion conversed with the king and said, "Your belief is that you have a dozen huntsmen."
"Indeed," responded the king, "I have twelve huntsmen."
Contrary to the king's notion, the lion stated, "Your belief is not accurate. They are, in reality, twelve maidens."
The king was taken aback by the lion's assertion and replied, "I find that hard to believe. Can you provide evidence to support your claim?" The lion suggested, "Simply scatter some peas in your antechamber, and the truth will reveal itself. Men typically have a steady gait, and when they walk on the peas, none of them will move. However, girls tend to skip and shuffle their feet, causing the peas to roll around."
The king was intrigued by the lion's suggestion and ordered for peas to be scattered on the floor of the antechamber.
However, one of the king's servants had a soft spot for the huntsmen and informed them of the lion's plan. The servant revealed, "The lion aims to trick the king into thinking that you are girls."
The princess expressed her gratitude to the servant and instructed her girls, "Stay resolute and walk firmly on the peas." The following day, the king summoned the twelve huntsmen to the antechamber where the peas were scattered. As they walked with purpose and confidence, not a single pea rolled or shifted.
