Gordon Fitchett

The king has twelve daughters, twelve mischievous daughters that is. He is determined to know how their shoes get ruined each night, when they are safely locked behind closed doors. He calls on princes throughout the land to come to his palace. He promises them the title of king if they can figure out what his daughters are doing at night. After many princes fail, and in turn lose their lives, an old solider arrives to attempt to figure out their secret. He gets a cloak that will make him invisible from a woman he meets on his way and uses it to follow the princesses out that night. He realizes they are escaping through a trapdoor under a bed, and he realizes they are going to meet with twelve handsome princes to dance the night away. When he returns he tells the king everything he has discovered. The king is very pleased with his work and gives him the hand of his eldest daughter.

I didn't enjoy this fairy tale at all. It was bland in comparison to other fairy tales I have read. I feel there are better choices as far as folklore is concerned.… (mehr)

The twelve princesses of the story are ducks who are leaving at night and nobody knows what they are doing at night, as their shoes are worn out every single morning. The king wants to know what his daughters are doing at night an promises everyone who finds out to marry one of his daughters. But everyone who cannot find out within one day will be killed by the king. A retired soldier of the army found out and married the eldest of the princesses.
I really like the illustrations of the book. They are very colourful and nice, but I do not like that all people are killed who do not find out. I know that this is a fairy tale and in many tales death is an essential part, but I think it should be done differently. I think kids should be confronted with death in a different way.… (mehr)