Donkeyskin
Once upon a time, there was a king beloved by his subjects, who possessed everything his heart desired. Among his marvels was a donkey with large, drooping ears. Unbeknownst to visitors, this donkey produced bushels of gold coins from its ears each night.
After many prosperous years, the queen died. On her deathbed, she made the king promise to remarry only a woman more beautiful and better formed than herself. The king grieved deeply but eventually agreed to seek a new wife, insisting she must surpass the late queen's beauty.
Envoys searched far and wide for suitable brides, but none could compare. One day, the king's eyes fell upon his adopted daughter, who had lived in the palace since infancy. He realized she was the most beautiful woman in the world and declared his wish to marry her.
Horrified, the princess sought help from her fairy godmother. The fairy advised her to set impossible tasks to dissuade the king. First, she asked for a dress the colour of the sky. To her dismay, the king's weavers produced it. Next, she requested a dress woven from moonbeams, which was also delivered. Finally, she demanded a dress of sunshine, adorned with rubies and diamonds, which the king provided.
As a last resort, the fairy told the princess to ask for the skin of the magical gold-producing donkey. The king, though astonished, sacrificed the donkey and gave her the skin. Seeing no escape, the princess wept until the fairy appeared again.
The fairy instructed her to wrap herself in the donkey skin, flee the palace, and strike the ground whenever she needed her dresses or jewels. The princess did so, slipping away unseen. A great search ensued, but the fairy's magic hid her.
She wandered far, seeking work. Her dirty appearance repelled most, until a farmer's wife offered her a job as a scullery maid and turkey herder. She was mocked and called "Donkey Skin," but she worked hard and proved skilled with animals.
One day, while lamenting her fate by a stream, she saw her reflection in the water and was ashamed of her filthy disguise. She cleaned herself but had to don the skin again. Remembering the fairy's promise, on a holiday, she stamped the ground and received her sky-coloured dress. She dressed in her room, taking joy in her true appearance.
The farm was a royal one. One holiday, while the princess was wearing her sunshine dress, the king's son stopped to rest after hunting. Exploring the house, he peeked through a keyhole and saw the dazzlingly beautiful girl. He inquired and was told it was the scullery maid called "Donkey Skin." He returned to the palace, obsessed with the vision.
The prince fell into a fever of love. The doctors could not cure him. He confessed to his mother that only a cake made by "Donkey Skin" could heal him. The queen, bewildered, sent for the cake.
Upon receiving the command, the princess washed, put on a silver dress, and baked a cake with the finest ingredients. As she stirred, her secret ring slipped into the dough. She delivered the cake in her donkey skin disguise.
The prince ate the cake eagerly and found the ring. He kissed it repeatedly but fell ill again, now clearly lovesick. He showed the ring to his parents, declaring he would marry only the woman whose finger it fit.
The king summoned every maiden in the kingdom to try on the ring. Princesses, duchesses, shopgirls, and servants all failed. The prince then asked for "Donkey Skin." The courtiers laughed but fetched her.
The princess came, wearing her donkey skin over her beautiful moonlight dress. In the hall, the prince asked her to hold out her hand. A delicate white hand emerged from the skin, and the ring slid on perfectly. The donkey skin fell away, revealing her true beauty. The prince knelt before her.
At that moment, the fairy godmother appeared and explained the princess's story. Grand wedding preparations began immediately. Kings from all lands were invited, including the princess's adopted father (who had since remarried). The wedding was magnificent, followed by the coronation of the young couple, who ruled wisely and were loved for a hundred years.