Aurore and Aimée Facts for Kids

Aurore and Aimée is a French fairy tale written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. It is one of the first fairy tales made especially for children. The story is similar to her more famous tale, Beauty and the Beast.

This tale uses common fairy tale ideas from the Aarne-Thompson tale type 480. This type is about kind and unkind girls. In these stories, a good daughter who is treated badly finds a new place. After a test, a kind person rewards her. Other famous tales like this include Diamonds and Toads, Mother Hulda, and Father Frost.

Story of Aurore and Aimée
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Story of Aurore and Aimée

Two Sisters and a Secret

A lady had two daughters. Both were very pretty. Aurore, the older sister, had a kind heart. Aimée, the younger, was not as nice. As the lady grew older, she wanted to hide her age. She sent Aurore away to the countryside. Then she moved to a new city with Aimée. She even lied about Aimée's age. To keep her secret safe, she sent Aurore to another country. But the person taking Aurore left her alone in a forest.

Aurore's New Life

Aurore searched for a way out of the forest. She finally found a small cottage. A kind shepherdess lived there. Aurore was very sad about her situation. The shepherdess told her that bad things sometimes happen for a good reason. She offered to be like a mother to Aurore. The shepherdess taught Aurore a new way of life. Aurore spent her days praying, working, reading, and walking. She found this simple life very enjoyable. It was never boring.

Prince Ingénu and a Test

One day, a good prince named Ingénu was hunting. His brother, Fourbin, was the king and was not a good ruler. Prince Ingénu met Aurore and fell in love. He asked her to marry him. Aurore, being proper, sent him to the shepherdess. The shepherdess agreed, knowing Ingénu would be a good husband. He promised to return in three days.

Before he came back, Aurore had an accident. She fell into some thorny bushes while gathering sheep. Her face was badly scratched. Aurore was upset, but the shepherdess reminded her that it might be for the best. Aurore thought that if Ingénu didn't want her because of her looks, he wouldn't make her happy anyway.

King Fourbin's Decision

Meanwhile, Prince Ingénu told his brother, King Fourbin, about Aurore. Fourbin was not happy about the marriage. He wanted to see Aurore for himself. When he saw her scratched face, he told Ingénu to marry her right away. He also said they could not come to the royal court. Ingénu still wanted to marry Aurore. After Fourbin left, the shepherdess used a special water to heal Aurore's face.

Back at court, King Fourbin asked for pictures of beautiful women. He was very impressed by a portrait of Aurore's sister, Aimée. He decided to marry Aimée.

New Challenges and Discoveries

A year later, Aurore and Ingénu had a son named Beaujour. One day, Beaujour disappeared. Aurore was very sad. The shepherdess again told her that everything happens for a good reason. The next day, King Fourbin's soldiers arrived. They were sent to harm the king's nephew. Since they couldn't find Beaujour, they put Ingénu, Aurore, and the shepherdess on a boat and sent them out to sea.

The boat sailed to a kingdom where the king was at war. Ingénu offered to fight for the king. He bravely defeated the enemy leader, making their army run away. The king, who had no children, adopted Ingénu as his son.

Four years later, King Fourbin died. His people were tired of Aimée's bad behavior. They sent her away and asked Ingénu to become their new king. On their way back, their ship was wrecked. This time, Aurore believed it must be for a good reason. On the land where they landed, she found a woman with her son, Beaujour! The woman explained that her pirate husband had kidnapped the boy. But then their ship was also wrecked. Soon, other ships arrived looking for them. They took Ingénu, Aurore, and Beaujour back to their kingdom. Aurore never complained about bad luck again. She knew that sometimes, misfortunes can lead to great happiness.

Aurore and Aimée facts for kids

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