The Princess and the Pea

“The Princess and the Pea” (Prinses op de erwt) is a classic fairy tale attributed to Hans Christian Andersen, first published in 1835. It’s a simple yet charming story that explores themes of aristocracy, sensitivity, and the deceptive nature of appearances.

The tale begins with a prince deeply saddened because he cannot find a “real” princess to marry. He has traveled far and wide, meeting countless princesses, but he always finds something about them that doesn’t seem quite right. He can’t shake the feeling that none of them are genuine royalty. Discouraged and longing for a true princess, he returns home.

One stormy night, a knock echoes at the castle gate. Seeking shelter from the raging tempest, a young woman claims to be a princess. The old Queen, a wise and discerning woman, is skeptical. She decides to put the girl to a subtle test, designed to reveal whether she is truly of noble birth. After all, any woman can *say* she’s a princess, but true sensitivity and refined upbringing are another matter entirely.

Without revealing her plan, the Queen orders a bed to be prepared for the guest. But instead of simply placing a mattress on the bed frame, she places a single pea on the very bottom. Then, she piles twenty mattresses on top of the pea, followed by twenty eiderdown quilts. This creates an incredibly soft and luxurious bed, seemingly fit for royalty. The “princess” is then invited to retire for the night.

The next morning, the Queen inquires about the young woman’s sleep. The “princess” complains bitterly about having had a terrible night. She claims that she barely slept a wink, because something hard and lumpy was in the bed. She tossed and turned all night, unable to find a comfortable position. She felt as if she were lying on a stone, leaving her bruised and aching.

The Queen is triumphant. Only a true princess, she reasons, would possess such delicate and refined sensibilities as to be disturbed by a single pea beneath twenty mattresses and twenty quilts. The prince, overjoyed, immediately proposes marriage. He is finally convinced that he has found his “real” princess.

The story concludes with the pea being placed in a museum, where it can still be seen (or so the narrator humorously claims). “The Princess and the Pea” is more than just a simple children’s story; it’s a gentle satire of the aristocracy, implying that their perceived superiority is often based on superficial sensitivity rather than genuine merit. It also suggests that outward appearances can be deceiving, and that true royalty lies not in birthright but in inherent qualities.