The White Doe facts for kids

The White Doe is a classic French fairy tale. It was written by a French author named Madame d'Aulnoy. This story is also known as The Doe in the Woods. It was even included in The Orange Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.

The White Doe Fairy Tale

Other Names for the Story

This fairy tale has been called by many different names. For example, James Planché translated it as The Hind in the Woods. Other English versions include The Story of the Hind in the Forest and The Enchanted Hind. It was also called The Hind of the Forest and The White Fawn. French artist Edmund Dulac also used the title The Hind of the Wood in his book.

The Queen's Wish

The story begins with a queen who really wanted a child. A magical crab (or lobster) led her to a fairy palace. There, she met the fairy of the spring, who looked like an old lady. The fairies promised the queen she would soon have a daughter. They told her to name the baby Desirée. They also asked her to invite them to the baby's christening party.

A Princess is Born

When Princess Desirée was born, the queen invited all the fairies. But she forgot to invite the crab. The crab arrived anyway, feeling very angry. The other fairies tried to calm her down. The crab didn't give a full curse. But she said Desirée would have trouble if sunlight touched her before she turned fifteen.

Protecting the Princess

To keep Desirée safe, the king and queen built a special castle underground. The princess lived there away from the sun. As her fifteenth birthday got close, the queen had a painting made of Desirée. She sent this portrait to all the princes in nearby kingdoms.

A Royal Engagement

One prince fell deeply in love with the portrait. He would often talk to the painting. His father, the king, found out. The prince convinced his father to cancel his engagement to another princess, called the Black Princess. Then, he sent a messenger to ask for Desirée's hand in marriage.

The fairy Tulip, who was Desirée's favorite fairy, gave a warning. She said not to let the messenger see Desirée before her birthday. But the king and queen agreed to show the portrait to Desirée. The princess loved the prince's picture. They decided to have the wedding in three months, after her birthday. The prince was so eager that his father sent more messages. He asked them to have the wedding even sooner.

The Black Princess's Anger

Meanwhile, the Black Princess was very upset. She said the prince was free because she couldn't love a dishonest man. But she asked her fairy godmother for help. Her godmother was the fairy of the spring. This fairy remembered the crab's curse and decided to harm Desirée.

The Journey and the Trick

Desirée heard the prince was very sick with love for her. She suggested traveling to him in a closed carriage. They would only open it at night to get food. This plan was put into action. However, a jealous lady-in-waiting had a mean mother. Her mother cut open the carriage. Sunlight touched the princess.

Instantly, Desirée turned into a white doe. She ran off into the woods. The fairy of the spring then caused a big thunderstorm. This scared away the servants. A loyal lady-in-waiting chased after the doe. But the jealous lady-in-waiting pretended to be the princess. She went on to the prince's palace. She blamed the storm for her messy look. The prince was shocked by her ugliness. He left the palace with only his messenger. He couldn't marry her.

The Prince's Search

The fairy Tulip helped the loyal lady-in-waiting find the white doe. After they reunited, the fairy appeared. She could only turn Desirée back into a woman at night. She told them about a hut where they could stay. An old woman lived there and took them in.

Later, the prince and his messenger found the hut. The old woman gave them shelter too. The next day, the prince saw the white doe. He shot at her, but the fairy Tulip protected her. The day after, the doe avoided where he had shot. The prince hunted for her for a long time. He got tired and fell asleep. The doe came upon him. She saw she had the advantage and studied him. She woke him up, and he chased her. She let him catch her when she was tired.

He treated her like a beloved pet. But she escaped before nightfall. She was afraid her change back to a human would shock him. The next day, the prince accidentally wounded her. He was very upset. He took her back to the hut by force. The loyal lady-in-waiting objected. The prince had to give the doe up.

Happy Ending

The messenger told the prince that he had seen the loyal lady-in-waiting at Desirée's court. They made a small hole in the wall between their rooms. They saw the princess and heard her sad cries. They were joyfully reunited. At dawn, she did not turn back into a doe.

Soon, the prince's father's army arrived. The prince went out to explain everything. The prince married Princess Desirée. The messenger married the loyal lady-in-waiting.

Legacy

Stage Adaptations

This fairy tale was one of many written by Madame d'Aulnoy. It was turned into a play by James Planché. This play was part of his Fairy Extravaganza series. When he adapted it for the stage, the tale was renamed The Prince of Happy Land, or, The Fawn in the Forest.

Images for kids

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  The enchanted doe approaches the prince, asleep by the stream. Illustration from a 1908 publication.