“Think of your own shoe.”
After the dancing had gone on for some time, the princess told the wizard that another young man had come to seek her hand, and asked what she should think of next morning when he came up to the palace to guess her thoughts.
“Listen! I will tell you,” replied the wizard. “Choose something very easy and simple, and he will be less likely to think of it. Think of your own shoe; he will never guess that. Then you can have his head cut off. But, mind! don’t forget to bring me his eyes to-morrow night. I will have either them or your own. Remember our bargain!”
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From the story “The Traveling Companions.”
Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales.
By William Woodburn.
Illustrated by Gordon Robinson.
W. & R. Chambers, Limited: London & Edinburgh. 1917.
Elephant's Picture Book 
She looks just like Princess Diana! Was she a good princess–there’s something of the sneak about her. I love the bats, the cricket and the owl, but I’d stay way from the wizard.
I don’t like this having to pay with your eyes. I really wouldn’t want to have to turn them over to this crazy guy!
Elephant
The large ring in his ear was the tip off even before reading. I wonder where he got the idea about the eyes. the princess doesn’t look too upset about the deal though–just like royalty!
Often these fairy tale weirdos go after the eyes (seat of the soul) and this darling is giving her a very tough choice.
I think she is giving him the business – I would be very careful with any guy who put me in this position – she looks weird because she is thinking over the deal – the very bad deal he is offering.
Elephant
I suspect Princess Di would do the same. Very interesting about the seat of the soul–I hadn’t thought of that–why did he want their souls? What do creepy guys want souls for unless they’re really just working with the great Evil One.
He probably does work for the Evil One at least on a part-time basis! These guys seem to “need” enchanted people, and they do think up the most awful conundrums! Dare I say it, damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Fortunately, the “victims” find a clever way out . . . well, most of the time.
Elephant
Poor Di, I think she wore contacts and had that spacy stare contacts can cause – I think people read too much into it.
Elephant
I think Diana looked her best as the shy school marm early on. She had the cutest round face. Then she got glamorous–that bored me. not that it matters.
A tad traumatic for little ‘uns! I thought it was only Grimm’s fairy tails that were freaky.
There is a great deal of trauma and drama in these old stories – designed as heavy handed life lessons – and maybe a source of bad dreams!
Elephant
My boyfriend read that there was a folk lore in a village in India where a butcher kidnapped children and… lets just say he turned them into sausages but they were ‘good’ children so a Santa Claus type magic dude dressed in green resurrected them!
That is a long way to come back from, a sausage. Often they are turned into birds and animals and back to kids, but a sausage!
Elephant
Totally mad isn’t it haha!
Oooh her gown is really pretty… I’ve never heard of this fairy tale before.
Keep your eyes on it!
Elephant
i wonder what that giant grasshopper is doing in the background 😉
Maybe watching? It is a nice grasshopper!
Elephant
Such goings on.. not surprised the owl looks surprised.
Beautiful. It looks like an illustration by Rackham
Glad to see you luixe! I like Gordon Robinson’s drawings – look at the old guys shoes! Could they be any better?
Elephant
Reblogged this on hocuspocus13 and commented:
jinxx reblogged to hocuspocus13
time to bring those fairy tales back! We should demand it.. thanks for the piccies.. eve
Thank you Eve!
Elephant