The Twelve Huntsmen

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

It’s dramatic but ultimately reassuring: love and loyalty are recognized, and deception is used for protection—not cruelty. Best for older kids who enjoy intrigue and a clear resolution.

Story Synopsis

A prince is engaged to a princess he truly loves. But before their wedding, his father falls ill and insists the prince marry another woman instead—someone chosen out of pressure and fear. The prince, torn between duty and love, gives in and breaks his promise. The princess is heartbroken, yet she refuses to vanish. She gathers eleven loyal maidens and forms a daring plan. They cut their hair, dress as men, and present themselves at the prince’s castle as twelve huntsmen seeking service. The prince welcomes them, feeling strangely drawn to the leader—without realizing she is his true bride. The new princess hears rumors that the huntsmen are not what they seem. Jealous and suspicious, she demands tests to expose them: she scatters peas and asks them to walk across, expecting “women” to stumble or show delicacy. But the huntsmen stride firmly over the peas. She tries other tricks, and each time the disguised group stays steady, trained and united. Finally, a lion is brought into the castle courtyard to see whom it recognizes. The lion behaves differently around the lead huntsman, as if honoring her. The prince’s heart also refuses to forget. Bit by bit, the truth breaks through the disguise. When the prince learns who the lead huntsman really is, he chooses the promise he made in love. The false marriage is undone, and the prince and true princess are reunited. The Twelve Huntsmen is a Grimm tale of loyalty, identity, and courage—less about hunting and more about holding on to what is true when life becomes complicated.

Story Excerpt

There was once a young prince who was promised to a maiden he loved with his whole heart. They would sit together and speak softly of the days to come, and the prince felt as if the world could never change. But one day a messenger arrived with urgent news : the prince’s father, the old King, was very ill and wished to see his son at once. The prince’s face turned pale. He took his beloved’s hand and said, “ I must go now and leave you. I give you this ring, so you will remember me — and I will remember you. ” He slipped the ring into her hand. “ When I am King, I will return and fetch you. ” With that he rode away, fast as his horse could carry him. He reached the palace and hurried to his father’s bedside. The old King lay quiet and weak, yet his eyes were clear. “ My dear son, ” the King said, “ I wished to see you once more. Promise me you will marry as I wish. ” And he named a certain princess from another kingdom. The prince’s heart felt squeezed tight. He was tired from travel, frightened for his father, and so troubled that he hardly knew what he was saying. Wanting to comfort the old King,…

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