The Twelve Dancing Princesses: Story, Meaning and the Shoes Danced to Pieces
The Twelve Dancing Princesses, or The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces, by the Brothers Grimm: full story, the invisible soldier, the secret world and its meaning.
In this article
The Twelve Dancing Princesses, called The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces by the Brothers Grimm, tells of a king whose twelve daughters are locked in their bedroom every night, yet every morning their shoes are worn through from dancing. The king promises a daughter in marriage to any man who discovers the secret within three nights; those who fail are executed. An old soldier, helped by an old woman's advice and a cloak of invisibility, follows the princesses through a hidden trapdoor to an underground kingdom where they dance all night with twelve enchanted princes. He brings back proof, wins the eldest princess, and the princes' enchantment is extended.
The Story
The mystery
The king's twelve daughters sleep in one room with their beds in a row. The door is locked and bolted each night. Each morning, their shoes are danced to pieces and nobody can explain why.
The deadly challenge
The king announces that whoever discovers where they dance may choose one daughter as his wife and inherit the kingdom. But anyone who fails after three nights will lose his life. Prince after prince tries. Each is given a bed in an adjoining room, falls asleep, and is executed.
The old soldier
A wounded soldier who can no longer serve walks toward the city, half joking that he might try his luck. An old woman on the road gives him advice: don't drink the wine the princesses bring you, and pretend to be fast asleep. She gives him a cloak that makes him invisible.
The secret world
That night, the eldest princess brings him wine; he pours it into a sponge under his chin and snores loudly. The princesses dress in fine clothes. The youngest feels uneasy, but the eldest dismisses her fears. The eldest knocks on her bed, and it sinks into the floor, revealing a trapdoor and stairs.
Wearing his cloak, the soldier follows. Halfway down he steps on the youngest princess's dress; she cries out that someone has grabbed her, but the eldest says she must have caught it on a nail.
They pass through three groves: trees with leaves of silver, then gold, then diamonds. The soldier breaks off a twig from each; the cracking sound frightens the youngest, but the eldest says it's the princes celebrating. At a great lake, twelve princes wait in twelve boats. They row to a shining castle, and the princesses dance until three in the morning, when their shoes are worn through.
The proof
The soldier follows them three nights in a row. On the third night, he takes a cup from the castle as well. When he is brought before the king, he tells the whole story and produces the silver, gold and diamond twigs and the cup. The princesses can't deny it.
The ending
Asked which daughter he'll take, the soldier says he isn't young anymore and chooses the eldest. They marry that day. The princes' enchantment is extended by as many days as the nights they danced with the princesses.
What Does the Story Mean?
Freedom from a locked room
The princesses are confined by their father every night, and they escape to a place of beauty, music and choice. Many modern readers see the tale as a story about young women's longing for freedom and pleasure under strict control.
The cost of secrecy
The tale is unusually violent in its setup: many princes die for failing a test the princesses actively sabotage with drugged wine. The princesses aren't simply victims; they keep their secret at a terrible price.
An unlikely hero
The hero is an aging, wounded soldier, not a prince. He wins because he listens to advice, stays sober and observant, and treats the old woman with respect. This connects to a common motif: kindness to an old stranger is rewarded (see our guide to fairy tale symbolism).
The youngest daughter
The youngest sister senses danger every time, but no one listens. Readers often find her the most sympathetic character, the voice of conscience in a group swept along by the eldest.
Versions and Adaptations
The Grimms published their version in 1815. Variants are found across Europe, including Russian, French and Portuguese versions; folklorists classify it as ATU 306, "The Danced-Out Shoes." The story inspired Heather Dixon's novel Entwined (2011) and Juliet Marillier's Wildwood Dancing (2006), along with many picture books and animated films.
Key Symbols
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Worn-out shoes | Secret passion, rebellion, evidence that can't be hidden |
| Trapdoor under the bed | A hidden inner life |
| Silver, gold and diamond trees | Escalating enchantment; a world better than the real one |
| The wine | Deception and control |
| The invisibility cloak | Observation; seeing without being seen |
For another Grimm tale where shoes carry a heavy meaning, see Andersen's The Red Shoes and our guide to the original Cinderella.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the original title of The Twelve Dancing Princesses?
In the Grimm collection, it's Die zertanzten Schuhe, "The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces."
How does the soldier discover the princesses' secret?
He avoids drinking the drugged wine, pretends to sleep, and follows them invisibly using a magic cloak.
Which princess does the soldier marry?
The eldest, because he says he is no longer young.
What happens to the princes?
Their enchantment is extended by as many days as the nights they danced with the princesses.
What is the meaning of The Twelve Dancing Princesses?
It's often read as a story about young women seeking freedom from control, and about secrecy, observation and an unlikely hero's patience.
