Twelve dancing Princesses, charming and witty
Living in a palace in the middle of the city.
Duty by day and epicure by night
They're back into bed after candle light.
How can their shoes be worn out so fast?
Shoes fit for Princesses never could last.
Every day they are worn out from sole to heel
The King in desperation tries to strike a deal
If any of the young men in the land
Could find how, was promised a Princesses' hand.
Many tried and all of them failed
The daughter's delight kept carefully veiled.
An old soldier arrives, with help from a crone
With words of warning and a cloak for him to roam.
He sets himself down with a drink poured by the eldest
Touches not a drop and snores to feign rest.
They take out their dresses
And comb out their tresses
He peers so discretely,
Noting their exit so neatly
Through the trapdoor
Leading down beneath the floor.
Seizing his cloak and following the youngest
She senses his presence but is considered foolish at best.
The ladies make their way through groves silver and gold
Diamonds are next, a branch from each the soldier takes ahold
Alerting yonder lady to fright and alarm
But invisible by cloak, he will do her no harm.
They walk to the end, there lies a great lake
Twelve boats and twelve Princes for the ladies to take,
Across the water to the castle for them to dance
To drink and chatter, for some entertainment perchance,
None of them knowing that the theft of a cup
Would incriminate them, their time to play nearly be up.
Gliding back home in the boats of the men,
Each night they will do it all over again.
The King summons the soldier to tell of his news
The soldier comes prepared to pay his dues,
Gold, silver and diamond branches
On the proof the man will take no chances,
Presents the golden cup to show
What they have been up to, for the King to know.
The Princesses troop in and form a huddle
They knew they are caught, their secret in trouble.
The King pronounces the youngest in the room
To be married, she trembles in certain doom.
The kindly soldier lays her worries to rest, to ask
If the possibility of him choosing the person for this task
To be the eldest, she captivates him more so than any
She knows it and accepts, to the delight of many.
Knowing his reign will be short and stout
His choice of wife leaves no one in doubt
Of her wise character and enquiring mind
No greater consort shall the Kingdom find.