The Dove (fairy tale) facts for kids

The Dove is a classic Italian fairy tale. It was written by Giambattista Basile in 1634 and published in his famous collection of stories called the Pentamerone. This tale shares many themes and ideas with other well-known fairy tales, like the Grimms' story The Two Kings' Children.

The Enchanted Story of The Dove

This fairy tale tells the exciting journey of a prince who faces a magical curse and finds true love. It's a story filled with magic, challenges, and a clever heroine.

The Prince's Unlucky Encounter

The story begins with a poor old woman who worked hard to get a pot of beans. One day, a prince and his friends were playing and accidentally broke her pot. The old woman was very upset. She put a curse on the prince, wishing that he would fall in love with an ogress's daughter.

Within just a few hours, the curse began to work. The prince got lost in an enchanted wood and became separated from his friends.

Meeting Filadoro, the Ogress's Daughter

Deep in the wood, the prince found a girl who was playfully talking to snails. Her name was Filadoro, and she was indeed the daughter of an ogress. The prince fell in love with her the moment he saw her. Filadoro also felt a strong connection to him.

However, the prince was too shy to speak his feelings. Soon, the ogress, Filadoro's mother, found him. She was a powerful and scary creature. The prince tried to fight her, but he couldn't move.

The Ogress's Impossible Tasks

The ogress gave the prince a very difficult task. She ordered him to dig an entire acre of land and plant seeds in it all by evening. Filadoro saw how worried the prince was and comforted him. She told him she had magic powers. The prince asked why they couldn't just leave, but Filadoro explained that the stars were not aligned for their escape yet. She promised they would go when the time was right.

When the ogress returned that evening, she called for Filadoro to let down her long hair so she could climb up. To her surprise, the land was already dug and planted.

More Challenges for the Prince

The next day, the ogress gave the prince another huge task. He had to split seven large piles of wood. Again, Filadoro used her magic to help him, and the task was completed.

A Daring Escape from the Ogress

On the third day, the ogress started to suspect that Filadoro was helping the prince. She gave the prince a new task: to empty a large water tank called a cistern. This time, Filadoro knew they had to escape immediately. She quickly dug a secret underground passage. They both ran away through it, hoping to be free.

The Prince's Forgetfulness

The prince didn't want to bring Filadoro to his palace looking tired and in simple clothes. He decided to leave her hidden for a short time while he went to get proper clothing and a carriage. But the ogress, still angry, put another curse on him. She cursed him to forget Filadoro as soon as someone kissed him.

When the prince arrived back at his castle, his mother greeted him with a loving kiss. Just as the curse predicted, he completely forgot about Filadoro and everything that had happened. He couldn't explain his adventures and agreed to marry the bride his mother had chosen for him.

Filadoro's Clever Plan

When Filadoro heard about the prince's upcoming wedding, she knew she had to do something. She disguised herself as a young man and went to the castle. She was hired to work in the kitchen as a kitchen boy.

Filadoro then baked a special pie. When this pie was served and cut open, a beautiful dove flew out! The dove began to speak, reminding the prince of all the brave and kind things Filadoro had done for him.

True Love Remembered

Once the dove had flown away, the prince immediately asked for the kitchen boy who had made the pie. Filadoro came forward and knelt before him. The prince instantly recognized her! All his memories came flooding back. He declared to everyone that Filadoro was the one he truly wanted to marry.

His mother was happy as long as her son was happy. The bride who had been chosen for the prince admitted that she didn't want to get married anyway and wished to return to Flanders. And so, Filadoro and the prince were finally married and lived happily ever after.