The Princess and the Pea
1835 
Denmark Story
Once upon a time, there lived a prince who wished to marry a princess— but she had to be a real princess. He traveled far and wide, through many kingdoms and across distant lands, meeting many princesses along the way. Yet something was always not quite right. Some were too proud, others too silly, and he could never be certain any of them were real princesses. So the prince returned home, rather sad and disappointed.
One evening, a terrible storm swept across the kingdom. Thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and rain poured down in sheets. In the midst of this dreadful weather, there came a knock at the palace gate. The old king himself went to open it.
There stood a young woman, soaked to the bone. Water streamed from her hair and clothes, running in through the toes of her shoes and out through the heels. Yet despite her bedraggled appearance, she claimed to be a real princess.
"We shall soon find out about that!" thought the old queen, though she said nothing. She went quietly to the guest chamber and removed all the bedding. Then she placed a single tiny pea upon the bedstead. On top of the pea, she piled twenty mattresses, and on top of the mattresses, she placed twenty feather quilts. This was where the princess would sleep that night.
In the morning, the royal family asked the princess how she had slept. "Oh, dreadfully!" she exclaimed. "I hardly closed my eyes the whole night! Heaven knows what was in that bed. I lay upon something so hard that I am black and blue all over. It was quite terrible!"
The queen smiled with satisfaction, for now they knew she was a real princess. Only a true princess could be so delicate as to feel a tiny pea through twenty mattresses and twenty feather quilts!
The prince was overjoyed to have finally found a real princess. They were married in a grand ceremony, and the pea was placed in the royal museum, where it may still be seen today—if no one has taken it. And they lived happily ever after.
History and Meaning
"The Princess and the Pea" was written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1835 in his first collection of fairy tales. It is one of his shortest and most famous stories. Andersen claimed the tale was one he had heard as a child, though a similar Swedish story, "Princess Who Lay on Seven Peas," appears in earlier folklore collections.
Unlike Andersen's more melancholy tales, this story has a light, almost satirical tone. Some scholars believe Andersen wrote it as a gentle mockery of aristocratic pretensions and the arbitrary nature of royal distinctions.
Symbolism and Meaning
True Nature Revealed: The tale explores the idea that true identity cannot be hidden. Despite being drenched and disheveled, the princess's authentic nature is revealed through her extraordinary sensitivity. This suggests that genuine qualities will always shine through.
Sensitivity as Virtue: In this fairy tale world, extreme delicacy is presented as a mark of nobility. While modern readers might question this value, the story celebrates sensitivity and awareness as admirable traits.
Appearance vs. Reality: The princess appears as a bedraggled stranger, yet proves to be exactly what the prince has been seeking. The story reminds us not to judge by outward appearances alone, as true worth may be hidden beneath an unpromising exterior.