In this traditional tale, retold by Rachella the Storyteller -The Tatty Slippers

  twelve princesses go to bed each night with their bedroom door locked—but every morning, their slippers are worn out and tatty, as if they’ve been dancing all night. No one knows where they go, and the king is determined to solve the mystery.

Many princes try to follow them, but they fall asleep each time. One day, a poor but clever soldier is given an invisible umbrella and follows the princesses without being seen. He discovers a magical underground world where the princesses dance all night with enchanted princes.

He reports back to the king, breaks the spell, and is rewarded—often by marrying one of the princesses and becoming a prince himself. The story ends with the mystery solved and peace restored.