Goose Girl in English | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales

Summary

In this magical fairy tale, a princess is betrayed by her maid on a journey to meet her betrothed prince. The maid steals the princess's royal garments and assumes her identity, leaving the true princess to serve as a humble goose girl. Through her patience and quiet strength, the princess's true identity is eventually revealed by the king. The maid is punished for her deceit, and the princess is restored to her rightful place, marrying the prince. A final act of magic brings the loyal horse Falada back to life, ensuring a happy ending for the princess and her prince.

Takeaways

• 😀 A king passes away, leaving behind his queen and daughter, who is watched over by a fairy godmother.
• 😀 The princess is betrothed to a prince from a distant land and prepares for her journey with royal garments and jewels.
• 😀 The fairy godmother gives the princess a magical horse, Falada, that can speak, and a lock of hair as a charm for protection.
• 😀 The princess faces mistreatment from her maid, who refuses to serve her and demands that the princess do everything herself.
• 😀 As the princess travels, her magical lock of hair speaks, lamenting her situation and expressing sorrow for her mother's ignorance of the maid's cruelty.
• 😀 The maid forces the princess to swap clothes and rides Falada while the true princess is left with a lesser horse.
• 😀 The prince mistakes the maid for the true princess and accepts her, while the real princess is sent to tend the geese.
• 😀 The princess mourns the loss of Falada, whose head is nailed to the city gate after the maid orders its death to prevent it from revealing the truth.
• 😀 The princess’s magical hair shines in the sun, and a strong wind blows away Kurtkin's hat, as foretold by the princess.
• 😀 The king learns the truth about the princess’s identity and, after hearing her full story, decides to punish the false bride and restore justice.
• 😀 The true princess is revealed, married to the prince, and the kingdom rejoices in peace and prosperity. Falada is brought back to life by the good fairy.

Q & A

What role does the fairy play in the Princess's life?

The fairy watches over the Princess, offering guidance and magical assistance, such as providing her with the enchanted horse, Falada, and giving her a lock of hair as a charm for protection during her journey.

How does the maid betray the Princess?

The maid tricks the Princess by forcing her to give up her royal attire and assume her place as a goose girl, while she takes the Princess’s place and marries the Prince.

What is the significance of Falada, the horse?

Falada is a magical horse that can speak and symbolizes loyalty and truth. After the maid has him killed, the Princess mourns him by asking for his head to be displayed at the city gate, where she can see it each day.

What is the role of the speaking lock of hair?

The lock of hair acts as a magical guide, speaking to the Princess during her journey. It expresses sorrow for her fate and provides warnings, but it is ultimately lost when the maid causes the Princess to lose it in the river.

How does the Princess's true identity eventually come to light?

The Old King overhears the Princess speaking to Falada’s head and sees her magical silver hair, leading him to investigate further. He learns the truth and helps reveal the false bride's deceit.

Why does the Old King take such an interest in the Princess's story?

The Old King is moved by the Princess's humility and kindness, and he seeks to uncover the truth behind the deception so that justice can be served and the false bride punished.

What is the moral lesson of the story?

The moral of the story is that deceit and cruelty will ultimately be exposed, and that truth, kindness, and loyalty are always rewarded in the end.

How does the Princess react to being forced into the role of a goose girl?

Despite being humiliated and mistreated by the maid, the Princess remains humble and silent, enduring her hardships without complaint, showcasing her inner strength and resilience.

What happens to the false maid at the end of the story?

The false maid is punished according to her own judgment. After she suggests that anyone who behaves deceitfully should be thrown in jail, the King reveals her as the liar and orders her imprisonment.

What role does Kurtkin play in the Princess's story?

Kurtkin is the boy who works with the Princess in the fields, taking care of the geese. He initially complains about the Princess’s behavior, but the King later learns from him how the Princess was treated and uncovers the truth.