How to Tell a True Princess
by Andrew Lang · from The Yellow Fairy Book
Original Story
HOW TO TELL A TRUE PRINCESS
There was once upon a time a Prince who wanted to marry a Princess,
but she must be a true Princess. So he travelled through the whole
world to find one, but there was always something against each. There
were plenty of Princesses, but he could not find out if they were true
Princesses. In every case there was some little defect, which showed
the genuine article was not yet found. So he came home again in very
low spirits, for he had wanted very much to have a true Princess. One
night there was a dreadful storm; it thundered and lightened and the
rain streamed down in torrents. It was fearful! There was a knocking
heard at the Palace gate, and the old King went to open it.
There stood a Princess outside the gate; but oh, in what a sad plight
she was from the rain and the storm! The water was running down from
her hair and her dress into the points of her shoes and out at the
heels again. And yet she said she was a true Princess!
‘Well, we shall soon find that!’ thought the old Queen. But she said
nothing, and went into the sleeping-room, took off all the
bed-clothes, and laid a pea on the bottom of the bed. Then she put
twenty mattresses on top of the pea, and twenty eider-down quilts on
the top of the mattresses. And this was the bed in which the Princess
was to sleep.
The next morning she was asked how she had slept.
‘Oh, very badly!’ said the Princess. ‘I scarcely closed my eyes all
night! I am sure I don’t know what was in the bed. I laid on something
so hard that my whole body is black and blue. It is dreadful!’
Now they perceived that she was a true Princess, because she had felt
the pea through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down
quilts.
No one but a true Princess could be so sensitive.
So the Prince married her, for now he knew that at last he had got
hold of a true Princess. And the pea was put into the Royal Museum,
where it is still to be seen if no one has stolen it. Now this is a
true story.
[Illustration: A True Princess]
Story DNA
Moral
True nobility or authenticity is revealed not by outward appearance, but by innate, often subtle, qualities.
Plot Summary
A Prince travels the world seeking a 'true Princess' but finds none to his satisfaction. One stormy night, a bedraggled Princess arrives at the palace, claiming to be genuine. The Queen devises a test, placing a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty eider-down quilts. The next morning, the Princess complains of a terrible, sleepless night, having felt the pea through all the bedding. This extreme sensitivity proves her true royal nature, leading to her marriage to the Prince.
Themes
Emotional Arc
disappointment to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Originally published by Hans Christian Andersen in 1835, it reflects 19th-century European societal views on aristocracy and inherent 'quality'.
Plot Beats (11)
- A Prince desires to marry a true Princess but cannot find one despite extensive travel.
- He returns home disheartened, believing no true Princess exists.
- During a severe storm, a bedraggled Princess arrives at the palace, claiming her royal status.
- The Queen, skeptical but curious, decides to test the Princess's claim.
- The Queen places a small pea under a stack of twenty mattresses and twenty eider-down quilts.
- The Princess is given this elaborate bed for the night.
- The next morning, the Princess complains bitterly about a terrible night's sleep, feeling bruised and battered.
- She attributes her discomfort to something hard in the bed, despite the layers.
- The royal family recognizes this extreme sensitivity as proof of her true Princess status.
- The Prince marries her, having finally found his true Princess.
- The pea is placed in a museum as a testament to the event.
Characters
The Prince
Not described, but assumed to be handsome and of noble bearing
Attire: Fine princely attire, including velvet jackets, breeches, and buckled shoes
Determined, discerning, somewhat naive
The Princess
Initially disheveled from the storm, but inherently delicate
Attire: Soaked and muddied gown, likely silk or fine linen, ruined by the storm
Sensitive, refined, truthful
The Old Queen
Wise and observant, with a regal bearing
Attire: Stately queenly robes, perhaps with a crown or diadem
Intelligent, cunning, practical
The Old King
Not described, but assumed to be stately and welcoming
Attire: Royal attire, including a crown and robes
Hospitable, trusting
Locations
Palace Gate
A grand entrance to the palace, exposed to the elements. Rain streams down during a fierce storm.
Mood: ominous, unwelcoming
The bedraggled princess arrives seeking shelter.
Sleeping-room
A royal bedroom, prepared with elaborate bedding: a pea, twenty mattresses, and twenty eider-down quilts.
Mood: deceptive, testing
The Queen devises a test to determine the princess's authenticity.
Royal Museum
A place to display important artifacts, now housing a single pea.
Mood: historical, curious
The pea becomes a historical artifact, a testament to the princess's sensitivity.