The Princess and the Pea

by Hans Christian Andersen, 1913

A storm-drenched stranger claims to be a real Princess — and three little peas beneath twenty mattresses and twenty feather-beds tell the truth.

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The whole story

Every scene of the book with its illustration — the same text the narrator reads aloud in the player.

There was once a Princewho wished to marry a Princess;but then she must be a real Princess.
There was once a Prince who wished to marry a Princess; but then she must be a real Princess.
He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady;but there was always something wrong.
He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady; but there was always something wrong.
Princesses he found in plenty;but whether they were real Princesses it was impossible for him to decide,for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies.
Princesses he found in plenty; but whether they were real Princesses it was impossible for him to decide, for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies.
At last he returned to his palace quite cast down,because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife.
At last he returned to his palace quite cast down, because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife.
One evening a fearful tempest arose;it thunderedand lightened,and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents;besides, it was as dark as pitch.
One evening a fearful tempest arose; it thundered and lightened, and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents; besides, it was as dark as pitch.
All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door,and the old King, the Prince's father, went out himself to open it.
All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King, the Prince's father, went out himself to open it.
It was a Princesswho was standing outside the door.
It was a Princess who was standing outside the door.
What with the rain and the wind, she was in a sad condition:the water trickled down from her hair,and her clothes clung to her body.
What with the rain and the wind, she was in a sad condition: the water trickled down from her hair, and her clothes clung to her body.
She said she was a real Princess.
She said she was a real Princess.
‘Ah, we shall soon see that!’ thought the old Queen-mother;however, she said not a word of what she was going to do, but went quietly into the bedroom,took all the bedclothes off the bed,and put three little peas on the bedstead.
‘Ah, we shall soon see that!’ thought the old Queen-mother; however, she said not a word of what she was going to do, but went quietly into the bedroom, took all the bedclothes off the bed, and put three little peas on the bedstead.
She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the three peas,and put twenty feather-beds over the mattresses.
She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the three peas, and put twenty feather-beds over the mattresses.
Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.
Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.
The next morning she was asked how she had slept.
The next morning she was asked how she had slept.
‘Oh, very badly indeed!’ she replied.
‘Oh, very badly indeed!’ she replied.
‘I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed,but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!’
‘I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed, but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!’
Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princess,since she had been able to feel the three little peas through the twenty mattresses and twenty feather-beds.
Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princess, since she had been able to feel the three little peas through the twenty mattresses and twenty feather-beds.
None but a real Princess could have had such a delicate sense of feeling.
None but a real Princess could have had such a delicate sense of feeling.
The Prince accordingly made her his wife,being now convinced that he had found a real Princess.
The Prince accordingly made her his wife, being now convinced that he had found a real Princess.
The three peas were, however, put into the cabinet of curiosities, where they are still to be seen, provided they are not lost.
The three peas were, however, put into the cabinet of curiosities, where they are still to be seen, provided they are not lost.
Was not this a lady of real delicacy?
Was not this a lady of real delicacy?

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