The Golden Bracelet facts for kids

The Golden Bracelet is a classic fairy tale from America. It comes from the state of Kentucky. A woman named Marie Campbell collected this story. She wrote it down in her book, Tales from the Cloud Walking Country. Aunt Lizbeth Fields was the person who told her the story.

This tale is a specific type of fairy tale. It is similar to other stories like The Goose Girl. However, The Golden Bracelet has its own unique parts. It seems to come from an old Irish or Scottish version of the story.

The Story of The Golden Bracelet

A Special Bracelet

Once, there was a queen who was very sick. Before she passed away, she did something special for her daughter. She did not make her husband promise not to marry again. Instead, she made a beautiful bracelet for her daughter. This bracelet was made from golden thread and the queen's own golden hair.

A New Queen and a Mean Stepsister

After some time, the king married again. His new wife was a woman who had her own daughter. This new daughter was not very pretty. The new queen was not kind to the king's daughter. She gave all the best things to her own daughter. She also stopped the king's daughter from going to fun parties.

The king's daughter did not mind too much. She loved her golden bracelet. She spent her time sewing and taking walks. Her little dog often went with her on these walks.

A King's Joke and a Surprise

One day, while she was out walking, a strange man rode by. He asked her what she was doing. Just for fun, she told him she was making a fancy handkerchief. She said it was for the King of Spain. The man then surprised her. He told her that he was the King of Spain! He asked her to give the handkerchief to him. She said she needed a week to finish it.

A week later, the King of Spain returned. He asked her to marry him. She told him she needed time to think about it. Her stepsister also thought about marrying the king.

The Stolen Bracelet and a Trick

The king's father, the old king, sent for the king's daughter. Her stepsister went with her. It was not proper for her to go alone. On the way, the stepsister did something terrible. She stole the golden bracelet from the king's daughter. She also made her promise never to tell anyone about it.

Then, the stepsister used magic. She made herself look beautiful. She made the king's daughter look ugly. But she could not change their personalities. The king of Spain did not truly love the stepsister. However, he felt he had to keep his word. So, he married her.

The Truth Comes Out

The little dog had followed the king's daughter. She told her whole sad story to her loyal dog. The old king, the King of Spain's father, heard her talking. He listened to her story. He then told his son, the young king, what had happened.

The young king learned the truth. He quickly ended his marriage to the stepsister. Then, he married the true bride, the king's daughter.