The Princess Prince
Romanian Fairy Tale
Ileana Simziana or Ileana Sînziana (also translated to English as The Princess Who Would be a Prince, Iliane of the Golden Tresses, and Helena Goldengarland) is a Romanian fairy tale written by Petre Ispirescu bewteen 1872 and 1886.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived an emperor. This emperor had two daughters, and no sons. Once a powerful king, he found himself owing fealty to another emperor after defeat in a great battle. His daughers, ever supportive, tried to cheer their father up after his defeat.
His youngest daughter said, “we can fight back!”
To which the King replied, “We cannot.”
“The Emperor makes every King that he defeats sign a pact declaring that he will send his son to be the Emperor’s new servant for ten years,” said the King. “Since I don’t have a son, I will have to go myself. I will be the Emperor’s new servant.”
The King’s eldest daughter immediately declared, “I will go father!”
The King replied, “You cannot. You are not my son. I could never let you go.”
However, the princess refused to heed her father’s words. She set out to present herself as the Emperor’s new servant. Eventually, the King gave in and let her go.
“Father, please give her your best steed from the stables. War horses know the battlefield better than anyone,” said his younger daughter.
To which her sister replied, “that old horse? The one who lost the battle? Absolutely not!”
After disguising herself as a solder and mounting her horse, she set off into the forest.
The Emperor magically creates a copper bridge and turns into a wolf. He stands on the bridge, intending to terrify the “soldier” making its way toward his palace. The princess “soldier” then finds her horse rearing backward, terrified. The princess then charges her horse to return home immediately. The King was sorely disappointed.
Upon seeing the unhappy return of her sister, the younger princess offers to be the Emperor’s servant. Her father pointed out how her sister failed.
“Father, trust me! I will never let you down,” said the princess.
The King believed she would return the same way that her sister had, so he decided to let her go.
Unlike her sister, the princess went to the stables and personally selected her father’s trusted warhorse. “You have been such a trusted stallion throughout all of father’s battles. I know you won’t let me down,” she said.
The horse replied, “there are not many who are as brave as your father.”
Astonished by the talking horse, she responded, “will you guide me with your wisdom?”
The horse whinnied, “only your father knew that horses are warriors, too! You are as wise as your father. I would be honored to guide you through any difficulty that may befall you.”
“Thank you so much!” she proclaimed as she hugged the horse’s snout.
The princess set out to the palace just as her sister had the day before. She too saw the bear on the copper bridge. The bear growled at her menacingly.
The horse advised, “remember princess, your mind and your heart are your strongest weapons.”
The princess replied, “can you run faster than the bear?”
“So much faster,” said the horse.
“So here’s what we’ll do,” she started saying….
She charged the horse to gallop directly toward the bear. As the pair came closer to the bridge, the princess leaned down and grabbed a branch from the ground.
As she got closer to the bear, she shoved the stick in the bear’s mouth, rendering it incapable of biting down on anything or anyone.
As she rode off on the horse, she looked back at the bear and said, “sorry bear. I hope you aren’t hurt!”
As the pair continued through the forest, the horse said to her, “that was a good start, princess!”
The princess replied, “If that was the start, that means this forest is full of dangers!”
As night fell upon them, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by four ferocious lions. The princess took the torches she had been carrying and tried to attck the lions with the flames. Terrified by the fire, the lions retreated back into the forest. Little did they know that those lions were actually the Emperor. He had shapeshifted once again in order to terrify the mysterious “soldier” in the forest who was coming ever closer to the palace.
The horse commented on what he had just witnessed, “Princess, any other warrior would have just killed those lions, at least one or two of them.”
To which she replied, “they are just trying to protect their home from intruders. They only want to protect themselves, and possibly also feed themselves. No King or Queen is allowed to punish them for that!”
“You are noble and kind, just like your father,” said the horse.
Upon daybreak the pair found themselves in the land of the twelve-headed dragon. Little did they know that the fire-breathing dragon was also the Emperor.
Thinking quickly, she threw a rope around a tree and swung across the lake to avoid the dragon’s wrath. She kept swinging back and forth, making the various dragon’s heads blow fire in many directions. Ultimately, the dragon burned its other heads by trying to throw its flames on her constantly moving body.
“Now that he is burning himself, time to ride!” she said as she ordered the horse to gallop away.
Nightfall came again. As they continued on their journey, they stumbled upon a lake. When they stopped, a jungle spirit came up out of the water and floated above with shimmery wings fluttering behind her.
“Dear princess, you have ridden so far” said the jungle spirit, “without harming a single creature or tree in the forest. Take these seeds. If you plant them among the flowers, good things will follow.”
“Thank you,” said the princess.
As the horse carried the princess further into the forest, they came upon a cottage.
The horse explained, “this house belongs to a witch and her son. You have to be careful. If the witch finds out that you are not a soldier, she will capture you and keep you as a servant.”
The princess walked up to the cottage door and knocked. A witch with striking silver hair opened the door.
“Can I help you?” asked the witch.
“Good evening. I am a soldier. I am lost in the woods. Would you mind if I stayed here tonight to rest?” said the princess.
The witch let the “soldier” into her home and gave “him” a room to rest. However, she was not fooled by the “soldier’s” disguise. She had a sneaking suspicion that this was actually a woman wearing soldier’s clothing. She brought her son in to see for himself.
“That is definitely a woman,” said the witch.
“A woman in the forest? Impossible!” said the man.
“I will prove it to you!” said the witch.
She grabbed a pot of flowers and told her son, “these flowers will wilt if they are kept at the bedside a woman.” The witch then proceeded to place the flowers on the table by the princess soldier’s bed.
However, the princess had overheard the conversation between the witch and her son. The moment that the witch left her room, she sowed the seeds that the fairy had given her into the soil containig the flowers. Immediately, a flash of light exploded.
The next morning, when the witch and her son came into the “soldier’s” room, they found the flowers perfectly in bloom and the “soldier” lying fast asleep in the bed.
“Mother, I told you this was not a woman,” said the son.
“I don’t believe that for a second!” said the witch. “I will imprison her and make her a servant!”
“Well, good luck,” said her son. “I have to attend to Ileana, beyond the seven islands.”
“You have her captive, just force her to marry you!” said his mother.
“If she doesn’t agree by the end of the year, I will!” he said.
Suddenly, the flash of light exploded from the flowers again, and with it, the “soldier” disappeared from the bed. When the light subsided, the two saw her ride off on her horse outside.
“She got away!” said the witch.
“Whatever you do, do not pursue her,” her son ordered. “For the moment you reach the lake, the spirit of the jungle will not spare you!”
Finally, the princess reached the Emperor’s palace.
“Your Highness, my father King of Ferdimal has, as per your treaty, sent me as your servant for ten years.
“I see. You can join my other pages,” said the Emperor.
The princess lived and worked like all the other princes who had been made servants by the Emperor.
One day, after cleaning one of the rooms, she approached one of the other princes and asked, “How does a lazy man like him win wars, especially against someone as brave as my father?!”
The prince replied, “He doesn’t go to war. He simply sends his best commanders and us pages in his place.”
Meanwhile…. the Emperor talks to a painting of a woman….
“Whoever tells me the whereabouts of my Ileana, I shall set free,” said the Emperor.
“Ileana, she has been held captive beyond the seven islands by the man in the forest,” said the princess in her prince disguise.
“Oh, how do you know that?” asked the Emperor.
“My travels have taught me a lot, your Highness” said the princess prince.
“Very well, then you go and get her back for me!” said the Emperor.|
“But she is the love of your life!” said the princess prince.
“…else I shall increase your sentence to twenty years of servitude!” said the Emperor.
That evening, the princess prince went to the stables to consult her father’s wise horse. “The man goes home every night,” said the horse, “that is when we can reach him and this is how….”
The next day…
“Your Highness, I will go, but I will need twenty ships filled with your empire’s finest merchandise,” said the princess prince.
The princess prince set sail along with her horse, when she got to the island beyond the seven islands, she pretended to be a merchant.
She took with her a bag filled with a beautiful collection of priceless items.
The guards of the city stopped her and asked, “ Who are you?”
“I am a merchant who has explored many lands to sell my merchandise,” said the princess prince.
The guard retorted, “there is no customer for you here, go away!”
The princess prince casually lets her bag fall to the ground where priceless jewels scatter out of its clutches.
“Oops! I’m so sorry. I’m clumsy sometimes. I shall pick these up and be on my way,” said the princess prince.
The guards’ mouths fell agape.
“Go inside and meet Princess Ileana,” the first guard commanded.
“But!….” the other guard retorted.
“Go! You saw the merchant’s wares. The master has been trying to impress Princess Ileana for a long time now,” said the first guard. “Maybe if he buys her some of your precious items, she will be moved.”
The princess prince and her horse are allowed into the gates and directed to the room where Princess Ileana has been held captive.
“Princess Ileana, here are the beautiful wares I came to present to you,” said the princess prince.
“Go away!” said Princess Ileana.
“I am here to rescue you, princess,” whispered the princess prince.
The two princesses look at each other knowingly and sneak toward the gates. Upon meeting the guards, the princess prince announced, “Princess Ileana would like to go to my ship to see the rest.”
After looking at one another for a moment, the guards let the two princesses through. Once Ileana got on the ship, they sailed off.
When the witch and her son came to the gates, they were informed by the guards that Princess Ileana had escaped. The witch and her son were furious!
Upon reaching shore, the princess prince and Ileana set off on their horse to see the jungle spirit. Unbeknownst to them, the witch was flying behind them, watching them.
“I will get you now!” the witch says to herself.
Suddenly, the jungle spirit rose from the lake and said to the witch, “Welcome to my territory!” Then she sends a spell from her wand into the witch’s heart.
And just like that, the witch vanished into thin air, never to be seen again!
The two princesses suddenly find themselves face to face with the witch’s son.
”How could you?! Now you must fight me!” said the man.
As if taken by a great force, the princess prince sends a shocking blow to the man’s face, and knocks him to the ground, where he is suddenly surrounded by two bears and the four lions.
“They will take care of you,” said the princess prince.
After arriving at the palace, the princess prince informs the Emperor that she has brought Princess Ileana back to the palace.
“What took you so long?!” demands the Emperor.
“Whatever. Oh! Ileana! You are far more beautiful than I imagined! I want you to be my wife!” exclaimed the Emperor.
“But I don’t want to be your wife!” proclaimed Princess Ileana.
“I am the one who rescued you from that evil man!” exclaims the Emperor.
“No you didn’t! Your page rescued me!” she retorted.
“Woman! How dare you! You will marry me because I say so!” demanded the Emperor. “Women do as men say!”
The princess prince, upon hearing the Emperor’s words, immediately removes her disguise. “You have no right to force her to marry you, even if you had rescued her. She is not your slave just because you are a man.
The princes stand in shock and awe as the Emperor dictates, “I will teach you manners!” He pulls out his sword and aims it toward the princess prince.
Their eyes meet. Rage is seething out of them.
The princess prince suddenly ties the Emperor up and steals his sword from his hands. She proceeds to inform him that, “all of the pages shall be set free and Princess Ileana will be sent back home respectfully. Finally, my father desreves to be the Emperor. Not you.”
The princesses are reunited with their families and their father gains the position of Emperor as his daughter had declared. In his empire, no woman was ever treated as second to a man ever again.
The End.
Vocabulary
(Data from Oxford Languages)
fe·al·ty
[ˈfē(ə)ltē]
noun
historical
a feudal tenant's or vassal's sworn loyalty to a lord:
"they owed fealty to the Earl rather than the King"
formal acknowledgement of loyalty to a lord:
"a property for which she did fealty"
de·feat
[dəˈfēt]
noun
an instance of defeating or being defeated:
"she had still not quite admitted defeat"
serv·ant
[ˈsərvənt]
noun
servant (noun) · servants (plural noun)
a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant.
a person employed in the service of a government. See also civil servant, public servant.
"a government servant"
heed
[hēd]
verb
pay attention to; take notice of:
"he should have heeded the warnings"
eldest
[ˈel-dəst]
adjective
of the greatest age or seniority : oldest
gave in (give in)
phrasal verb
past tense of ‘give in’
as in succumbed to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
as in submitted to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
steed
[stēd]
noun
a horse being ridden or available for riding.
dis·guise
[dəˈskīz, disˈɡīz]
verb
give (someone or oneself) a different appearance in order to conceal one's identity:
"we took elaborate measures to disguise ourselves as locals" · "Brian was disguised as a priest"
mount
ˈmau̇nt
verb
mounted; mounting; mounts
to get up on something above the level of the ground to seat oneself (as on a horse) for riding
rear
[rir]
verb
rearing (present participle)
(of a horse or other animal) raise itself upright on its hind legs:
"the horse reared in terror" · "a rattlesnake reared up at his elbow"
charge
[CHärj]
verb
charges (third person present)
rush forward in attack:
"the plan is to charge headlong at the enemy"
rush aggressively toward (someone or something) in attack:
"I don't advise anyone to charge that barricade"
move quickly and with impetus:
"Henry charged up the staircase"
sore·ly
[ˈsôrlē]
adverb
to a very high degree or level of intensity (especially of an unwelcome or unpleasant state or emotion):
"she would sorely miss his company" · "help was sorely needed"
point out (to somebody) | point somethingout (to somebody)
phrasal verb
to mention something in order to give someone information about it or make them notice it"
“She tried in vain to point out to him the unfairness of his actions.”
“He pointed out the dangers of driving alone.”
wisdom
ˈwiz-dəm
noun
ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
good sense : judgment
be·fall
[bəˈfôl, bəˈfäl]
verb
(of something bad) happen to someone:
"a tragedy befell his daughter" · "she was to blame for anything that befell"
men·ac·ing·ly
[ˈmenəsiNGlē]
adverb
in a way that suggests the presence of danger; threateningly:
"a helicopter hovered menacingly overhead" · "the two men stood glaring menacingly at each other"
rend·er
[ˈrendər]
verb
rendering (present participle)
literary
hand over:
"he will render up his immortal soul"
cause to be or become; make:
"the rains rendered his escape impossible"
a·gape
[əˈɡāp]
adjective
(of the mouth) wide open, especially with surprise or wonder:
"Downes listened, mouth agape with incredulity"
seething
[ˈsēT͟HiNG]
adjective
filled with or characterized by intense but unexpressed anger:
"his seething resentment finally reached boiling point"
References
Ready, Psyche Z. (2016-08-08). "She was really the man she pretended to be": Change of Sex in Folk Narratives (MA thesis).
Ispirescu, Petre; Ipcar, Rea; Collier Harris, Julia (1917). The Foundling Prince, & Other Tales: Translated And Adapted From the Roumanian of Petre Inspirescu. Boston: Houghton Mifflin company. pp. 39–284.
Prințesa Prinț | The Princess Prince in Romanian | @RomanianFairyTales (Mar 19, 2023). Retrieved from YouTube.