The Dirty Shepherdess facts for kids

The Dirty Shepherdess is a classic fairy tale from France. It was first collected by a French writer named Paul Sébillot. Later, a famous storyteller named Andrew Lang included it in his popular book, The Green Fairy Book. This story is about a princess who learns important lessons about true love and understanding.

The King's Question

The story begins with a king who wanted to know how much his two daughters loved him. He asked them directly. His older daughter quickly replied that she loved him as much as the "apple of her eye." This meant she loved him very, very much, like something precious and important.

The Younger Daughter's Answer

When the king asked his younger daughter, her answer was different. She said she loved him "as much as the salt on her food." The king did not understand what she meant. He thought her answer was not loving enough. He became very angry and ordered her to leave the kingdom right away.

A Princess in Disguise

The princess was sad but obeyed her father. She took her beautiful dresses and sparkling jewels with her. To avoid being recognized and to find work, she decided to make herself look like a simple farm girl. She put on old, plain clothes, making herself appear "ugly" so that no one would suspect she was royalty. She found a job as a shepherdess, taking care of sheep.

The Prince's Discovery

One day, while she was alone, the princess decided to put on her fine gowns just to remember her old life. A prince was hunting nearby and saw her. He was amazed by her beauty and asked who the beautiful woman tending the sheep was. Everyone around him laughed, thinking he was mistaken.

The Prince's Illness

The prince could not stop thinking about the beautiful shepherdess. He became very ill because he longed to see her again. He told his family that only a loaf of bread baked by the shepherdess could make him feel better. The shepherdess baked the bread, and by accident, her special ring fell into the dough.

Finding the True Princess

When the prince ate the bread, he found the ring. He declared that he would only marry the woman whose finger the ring fit perfectly. Many women tried the ring, but it did not fit any of them. The prince then insisted that the shepherdess also try it. When she did, the ring fit her finger perfectly.

The Wedding and Reconciliation

The shepherdess then dressed herself in her beautiful gowns, revealing her true identity as a princess. The king, the prince's father, was very happy and agreed to the wedding. The princess had one special request for the wedding. She insisted that they ask her own father for permission and invite him to the celebration.

A Lesson Learned

At the wedding feast, the princess arranged for her father's food to be cooked without any salt. When he tasted it, he realized how bland and unappetizing it was. At that moment, he finally understood what his younger daughter had meant when she said she loved him "as much as the salt on her food." He realized that salt, though common, is essential and makes everything better. He had misunderstood her deep love for him.