The Princess in the Chest facts for kids

The Princess in the Chest, also known as The Princess in the Coffin (Danish: Prinsessen i Kisten), is a famous Danish fairy tale. It was included by Andrew Lang in his collection, The Pink Fairy Book. This story is a classic example of a magical tale where a hero breaks a curse.

The Story of the Princess in the Chest

The tale begins with a king and queen who wished for a child. The king told his queen that if she did not have a child within a year, he would leave her.

A Strange Prophecy

A kind old woman gave the queen some special advice. She told the queen to eat a bud from a magical bush. This would help her have a daughter. The old woman also said that a nurse must raise the girl. No one else should see the princess until she turned fourteen years old. The queen followed these instructions carefully.

However, just one day before the princess turned fourteen, the king came to see her. The princess then sadly said that she would die because the rule was broken.

The King's Difficult Choice

The princess offered the king a choice to prevent a terrible future. He could choose between a widespread sickness, a long and bloody war, or placing her body in a wooden coffin. If he chose the coffin, a guard would need to watch over it every day for a year. The king did not believe her words, but he chose the coffin option.

The very next morning, the princess was indeed gone. The king did as she had asked. But every night, the guard watching the coffin mysteriously disappeared. Soon, people whispered that the princess's ghost was eating the guards. Soldiers became scared and refused the duty. The king offered rewards, but no one ever claimed them.

Christian's Brave Nights

One day, a strong smith named Christian arrived in the capital looking for work. Soldiers convinced him to take on the dangerous guard duty. When Christian tried to run away, a small, mysterious man stopped him. The little man told Christian to hide in the church's pulpit until the coffin lid slammed shut. Christian did as he was told.

At midnight, the princess came out of the coffin. She howled, asking for the guard. She saw Christian in the pulpit but could not reach him. Finally, she had to go back into the coffin.

The next day, the king gave Christian a reward and a big meal. Christian drank a lot, and the king offered him twice the gold to stay another night. Christian agreed. He tried to run away again, but the little man stopped him. This time, the man told Christian to stand in front of the altar and hold the prayer book. That night, the princess rushed to the pulpit, but Christian was not there. She shrieked that war and sickness would begin. Then she saw him and still could not reach him. She had to return to the coffin, but she looked a little less scary than before.

The Curse is Broken

On the third day, Christian agreed to guard the coffin again, but only for half the kingdom. He tried to sneak away even earlier this time, through a window, to avoid the little man. But the little man still stopped him. This time, Christian was told to lie down right by the coffin and climb inside as soon as the princess left it.

At midnight, she came out and shrieked about war and sickness. She eventually found Christian inside the coffin but could not reach him. She tried to scare him and trick him into coming out, but he stayed put. Then, she went away, and soft music began to play. Christian heard a special church service being held, giving thanks for a great rescue.

At dawn, Christian came out and found the princess alive and well! She told him that the curse was finally broken. She asked him to marry her. If he said no, she would go to a convent, and he could never marry anyone else while she lived. This was because the service he heard was a marriage ceremony for the dead. Christian happily agreed to marry her. The king was pleased and kept his promise, giving Christian half of his kingdom. When the king passed away, Christian inherited the entire kingdom.