A widowed king with twelve beautiful daughters is perplexed by their nightly disappearances, as they return home with worn-out shoes each morning. Determined to uncover their secret, he offers a reward of his daughter's hand and half his kingdom to anyone who can solve the mystery. A poor nobleman steps forward, despite his uncertainty about how to proceed. He encounters an old woman who provides him with a cap of invisibility and advises him to avoid drinking a sleeping draught the princesses will offer him. Following her guidance, he pretends to sleep while the princesses prepare to leave for their nightly escapade. They reveal a hidden entrance leading to the realm of the Accursed Tsar, where they dance until dawn. The nobleman, using his invisibility, follows them into the Tsar's palace, where he witnesses their revelry and collects evidence in the form of a golden flower and a goblet of wine. When the princesses return home, the king interrogates them, but they initially deny their activities. The nobleman presents his evidence, forcing the princesses to confess. As a result, the king seals the entrance to the subterranean realm and rewards the nobleman by marrying him to the youngest princess. They live happily ever after, having resolved the mystery of the daughters' nightly adventures.
By Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev · First published 1833 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure