Cat-Nutcracker

Once upon a time, there lived a king, a queen, and their royal children. The king’s daughter was named Ann, and the queen’s daughter was named Kate. Although Ann was far more beautiful than the queen’s daughter, the two girls loved each other like sisters. But the queen couldn’t bear the thought that the king’s daughter was more beautiful than her own, and she devised a plan to turn Ann into an ugly girl. For advice, she went to the poultry woman who lived in a valley near the royal castle—rumor had it that she was acquainted with dark forces.

“Respected one,” said the queen as she entered the poultry woman’s hut, “I’ve heard that you know how to cast spells. Of course, I don’t believe such things. But if you help me with a certain matter, I’ll give you a gold coin for every egg you bring to the royal kitchen!”

The old woman said nothing in reply, only bowed low to the queen and smirked.

“My stepdaughter,” continued the queen, “is growing more beautiful by the day. And she’s become so proud! So, is there a way to make her a little less beautiful—not too much, just a bit? It would be a good lesson for her!”

“Nothing could be simpler,” replied the poultry woman. “Send her to me tomorrow morning. But remember: before she leaves, she must not eat a single bite or drink a single drop!”

And so, the next morning, very early, the queen said to Princess Ann:

“You look so pale today! Why don’t you take a walk in the fresh air before breakfast? Go, dear, to the poultry woman who lives in the valley and ask her for some eggs!”

Ann went to the poultry woman, but as she passed by the kitchen, she saw a crust of bread on the table, took it, and ate it on the way. After all, she had left home before breakfast and was very hungry.

When she arrived at the poultry woman’s hut and asked for eggs as instructed, the poultry woman said:

“Lift the lid off that pot over there and look inside!”

The girl did so, but nothing happened to her.

“Well, go home to your stepmother,” said the poultry woman, “and tell her to lock the pantry more securely!”

Ann was puzzled by the poultry woman’s words, but when she returned home, she repeated everything exactly to the queen, who realized that the girl had eaten something before leaving.

The next morning, the queen decided to try her luck again.

“You look so thin!” she said to Princess Ann. “Why don’t you take a walk in the fresh air before breakfast? It will give you a good appetite.”

And once again, she sent Ann to the poultry woman, making sure she didn’t eat or drink anything before leaving. But on the way, the princess met some peasants gathering peas and spoke kindly to them. The peasants gave her a handful of peas, and she ate them.

When she arrived at the poultry woman’s hut, the poultry woman said:

“Lift the lid off that pot over there and look inside!”

Ann lifted the lid, but again, nothing happened. The poultry woman grew very angry and said:

“Tell your stepmother that a pot won’t boil without fire!”

So, Ann returned home and relayed these words to the queen.

On the third day, the queen herself went with the girl to the poultry woman. This time, as soon as Ann lifted the lid off the pot, her pretty head turned into a sheep’s head—complete with protruding ears, coarse wool, and all the rest. The poultry woman had a very wicked heart and had overdone the spell. Even the stepmother queen hadn’t wanted things to turn out this way. She was displeased with the poultry woman and, when the old woman brought fresh eggs to the royal kitchen the next morning, ordered her to be driven away. And of course, she didn’t give her a single gold coin!

Everyone was deeply saddened by the misfortune that had befallen Princess Ann, especially her sister Kate.

One morning, while everyone was still asleep, Kate woke Ann, wrapped her head in a white shawl, and led her out of the castle.

And so, the two sisters, Kate and Ann, set out to find a doctor who could restore Ann’s beauty. They wandered for a long time until they came to a certain castle. Kate knocked on the door and said to the lady-in-waiting who opened it:

“My sister is very ill, and it’s nighttime. We have nowhere to stay. Please let us in!”

The lady-in-waiting went to ask the king—for it turned out to be a royal castle—and when she returned, she said to Kate:

“The king and queen permit you to enter, but only on one condition.”

“I agree to any condition!” said Kate, for she was a brave girl.

“You must sit by the bedside of the sick prince, the eldest son of our king, all night long. No one knows what ails him. He doesn’t eat or drink and grows weaker by the day. If you sit with him through the night, the king will give you a purse full of silver! But be warned: everyone who has tried to sit with him before has disappeared forever by morning.”

But Kate wasn’t afraid and agreed to sit by the sick prince’s bedside.

Until midnight, everything went well. But as soon as the clock struck twelve, the sick prince got up, dressed, and descended the stairs. Kate followed him, but the prince seemed not to notice her. He went to the stables, saddled his horse, quietly called his dog, and mounted the horse, while Kate quietly climbed on behind him.

And so they rode—the prince and Kate—through the green forest. The dog ran ahead, showing the way. And as they galloped, Kate plucked ripe nuts and hid them in her pockets.

Eventually, they arrived at a green hill. The prince stopped his horse and said:

“Open, green hill, open! Let in the young prince, his dog, and his horse.”

“…And me,” Kate added softly.

Immediately, invisible doors opened in the green hill, and they rode inside. The prince entered a luxurious and bright hall; a crowd of beautiful fairies surrounded him and led him away to dance. But no one noticed Kate: she hid behind a door and watched the prince from there. He danced and danced until he collapsed, exhausted, onto a soft bed of flowers. The fairies began to fan him with their fans, and he rose again and continued dancing.

But then the rooster crowed, and the prince rushed to his horse. Kate jumped on behind him, and they rode home.

In the morning, when the sun rose, the king and queen and their courtiers entered the prince’s room. And what did they see? Kate was sitting by the fire, cracking nuts, while the prince slept peacefully in his bed.

“Did the night go well?” asked their majesties.

“Oh, yes,” replied Kate. “I’m willing to sit by the sick prince’s bedside for a second night, if you wish…”

The king and queen were overjoyed and this time promised Kate a purse full of gold.

The second night passed just like the first. At midnight, the prince rose and rode to the green hill for the fairies’ ball, with Kate riding behind him and picking nuts along the way.

This time, Kate didn’t watch the prince—she already knew he would dance and dance. Instead, she saw a tiny elf with a silver wand and overheard one fairy say to another:

“If this wand touches the ugly sister of Kate three times, she will become as beautiful as she once was.”

Then Kate rolled a nut across the floor, and it rolled straight to the little elf. She rolled one nut after another. The tiny elf dropped the silver wand and began collecting the nuts. And no wonder—it’s not every day that tiny elves get to nibble on nuts, and they have plenty of silver wands! Kate snatched the wand and hid it under her cloak.

But then, just as before, the rooster crowed, and they rode home.

As soon as Kate returned, she ran to Ann and touched her three times with the silver wand. And—oh, miracle!—the sheep’s head with its protruding ears and coarse wool turned back into a pretty girl’s head. Ann became even more beautiful than before.

On the third night, Kate agreed to watch over the sick prince only on the condition that, if he recovered, she would marry him. She had already fallen in love with the prince and didn’t want to part with him.

Everything went as it had the previous two nights. This time, the tiny elf was playing with a bird, and Kate overheard one fairy say to another:

“If the sick prince eats three pieces of this bird, he will become as healthy as he once was.”

Without hesitation, Kate rolled all her nuts one by one; they rolled toward the tiny elf, and he dropped the bird. Kate grabbed it and hid it under her cloak. Then the rooster crowed, and she and the prince rode home.

This time, when they returned, Kate didn’t crack nuts—she had given them all to the tiny elf, and besides, she had more important things to do. She immediately lit a fire, plucked the bird, and began to roast it. Soon, the room was filled with the delicious aroma of roasted meat, and the sick prince woke up and said:

“Ah, how I wish I could taste a piece of that bird!”

Kate gave him a piece, and he ate it. Then he propped himself up on his elbow and said:

“Ah, how I wish I could have another piece!” Kate gave him a second piece. Then the prince sat up in bed and asked again:

“Ah, how I wish I could have a third piece!”

Kate gave him the third piece, and he stood up—healthy and strong. He dressed himself and sat by the fire. When the king and queen entered the prince’s room the next morning, they saw the prince and Kate sitting side by side, chatting happily. The king and queen were so delighted that they immediately asked Kate to marry the prince.

Meanwhile, the younger prince met Ann in the garden and fell in love with her—as did everyone who saw her sweet, pretty face.

And so, the sick prince married the healthy princess, and the healthy prince married the once-sick princess.

Of course, the eldest prince and Princess Ann were no longer ill, so Kate and the prince no longer needed to ride to the green land of the elves. But don’t think the fairies stopped dancing! No, they still dance every night. But with whom? And what color are their dresses? And does their music still sound as sweet? That, I cannot tell you.

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Cat-Nutcracker

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