The Flea (fairy tale) facts for kids

The Flea is an old Italian story written by Giambattista Basile. He included it in his famous book, Pentamerone, which was published in 1634. It's a classic fairy tale with a brave princess and a scary ogre.

The Story of The Flea

Once upon a time, a king had a very unusual pet: a flea! He fed it so well that it grew and grew until it was as big as a sheep. When the giant flea died, the king took its skin off.

A Strange Challenge

The king then made a strange promise. He said his daughter, the princess, would marry anyone who could guess what animal the skin belonged to. Many people tried, but no one could guess correctly. Finally, a scary ogre came along and guessed right away! The king had to keep his promise, and his daughter was forced to marry the ogre.

Life with the Ogre

The ogre took the princess to his house. It was a very scary place. The ogre was cruel to her, and the princess was very unhappy. She often cried by the window. One day, an old woman passed by and heard the princess's sad story. The old woman told the princess that she had seven strong sons, who were half-giants, and they could help her.

The Rescue and Chase

The very next day, the old woman and her seven sons came to rescue the princess. They quickly took her away from the ogre's house. But the ogre soon realized the princess was gone and chased after them!

The oldest son could hear the ogre coming from far away. To escape, each brother used their special powers to create obstacles:

• One son washed his hands, and a huge sea of soapy bubbles appeared.
• Another son turned a piece of iron into a field of sharp razors.
• One brother turned a small stick into a thick forest.
• Another turned a tiny bit of water into a wide river.

The Final Battle

Even with all these obstacles, the ogre kept coming! The last son turned a small pebble into a tall tower where they could hide. But the ogre found them and started climbing a ladder to reach the top. The youngest son was very brave. He shot the ogre in the eye and then cut off his head, finally defeating the monster.

A Happy Ending

The sons brought the princess safely back to her father, the king. The king was so happy and grateful that he gave the brave sons many wonderful gifts. The princess later married a kind prince who was a good match for her, and she lived happily ever after.