Once upon a time, there lived a rich King and Queen who had everything but a child. The Queen lamented day and night. At last, God granted her wish, but the child born was not human—it was a little donkey.
The Queen was horrified and wanted to drown it, but the King insisted, "Since God sent him, he shall be my son and heir." So the donkey was raised as a prince.
He grew up cheerful and loved music. Determined to learn the lute, he sought out a celebrated musician. Despite the musician's doubts about the donkey's large fingers, the donkey persevered and mastered the instrument.
One day, seeing his reflection in a well, the donkey was distressed by his form. He left home with one companion and traveled to a distant kingdom ruled by an old King with a beautiful daughter.
At the castle gate, the donkey played his lute enchantingly. The astonished doorkeeper reported to the King, who invited the musician in. Everyone laughed when a donkey entered. The donkey refused to dine with servants or soldiers, insisting on sitting by the King. Amused, the King agreed.
The King asked how the donkey liked his daughter. "I like her above measure," the donkey replied. The King then seated him next to the princess. The donkey behaved with perfect manners.
After a long stay, the donkey grew sad and asked to leave. The King, fond of him, offered gold, jewels, and half his kingdom, but the donkey refused all. Finally, the King asked, "Wilt thou have my pretty daughter to wife?" "Ah, yes!" exclaimed the donkey, becoming instantly happy.
A splendid wedding was held. That night, alone with his bride, the bridegroom threw off his donkey skin, revealing himself as a handsome royal youth. "Now thou seest who I am," he said. The princess was delighted and loved him dearly. At dawn, he put the skin back on.
The next morning, the King asked his daughter if she was sad to have a donkey for a husband. "Oh, no," she said, "I love him as if he were the handsomest man alive." A servant who had hidden in the room revealed the secret. Skeptical, the King decided to see for himself the next night.
While the couple slept, the King stole in, saw the youth, took the donkey skin, and burned it to ashes. He stayed awake to watch. In the morning, the youth discovered his skin was gone and was filled with grief, planning to escape.
As he tried to leave, the King stopped him. "Stay, my son," he said. "Thou art a handsome man. I will give thee half my kingdom now, and all of it after my death." The youth agreed to stay. A year later, the old King died, and the youth inherited the kingdom. Later, he also inherited his father's kingdom and lived in magnificence.