Donkeyskin
Once upon a time, there an eccentric king who ruled a vast kingdom.
He had a beautiful wife and a lovely little daughter.
Has my magic donkey just laid another gold coin? Bring it to me right away! Ha
You there, with the long face…bring me that coin at once!
Do as the king says.
The king owned a very special donkey who laid gold coins for him every day.
Be very careful with my donkey, you know how temperamental he is…
Of course, Your Majesty.
The miraculous donkey made the king very wealthy.
When he had acquired all the riches he could want, he grew restless,
and began to use the gold to buy weapons and invade other kingdoms.
Charge!
We are lost! Retreat!
At that moment, the king received a tragic message…
Your Majesty, the queen is very ill…
I must go to her!
Your Majesty, I feel my end is near…
Don’t say that! You must be strong…
Your Majesty, when I am gone, you may wish to remarry
Promise me that you will marry until you find a woman wiser and more beautiful than me…
No! Don’t leave me!
Forgive me…
No! Come back to me…
After the Queen’s death, the king felt miserable and alone.
As he had been promised,
he began the search for a woman even more wise and beautiful
than she had been to take as his new wife.
Your Majesty, we are unable to find a lady more radiant and clever than the late queen was..
As he glanced out the window, the King’s eye fell on the lovely young princess.
Why, my daughter is already a woman grown…
The princess is old enough to choose a suitor indeed.
The king considered for a moment.
Of course…There is no other woman in the kingdom as beautiful as my daughter.
Only she is worthy to be my queen!
But…Your Majesty…
Silence! I shall marry the Princess.
This isn’t right…
The King’s sudden decision shocked his servants, but they had no choice but to obey him.
Oh, what shall I do!? I cannot accept my father’s preposterous offer!
But how can I reject him?
Do not weep, Princess, I have an idea.
Have you heard of the fairy who lives in a cave in the forest?
A fairy?
I have heard it said that she can resolve any situation.
Can she really help me?
The princess rode into the forest, and soon reached the fairy’s colorfully ornamented cave.
Welcome Princess, I know why you have come.
Your father wants to marry you, but I know a way you can avoid your father’s proposal.
Oh tell me, please!
Go at once to the King and ask him to order a dress for you, as blue as the sky.
Thank you, I will try.
Returning to the palace the Princess asked to speak to her father.
Father, I have a request to make before I marry you.
I want you to make me a dress the color of the sky.
If that is what you want… Seek out the most skilled tailor in the kingdom,
and order him to create a gown the color of the sky.
Yes, Your Majesty.
May I come in? / What is it?
Look at this, Princess!
Oh…he really made the gown. What do I do now?
You should go back to the fairy and ask her.
The fairy advised the princess to demand a dress the color of moonlight.
The king agreed and sent her the completed dress once more. The Princess rushed back to the fairy.
What should I ask him now?
This time, you must ask him for the skin of his precious donkey, the one that lays golden coins.
When he gives it to you, take the skin and the gowns and leave at once for a far away kingdom.
Very well.
I will marry you father, but only if you give me the skin of your donkey.
That is an easy request to grant. Servants! Bring me that donkey’s skin at once!
Yes, Your Majesty!
The King gave the Princess the skin as she had requested.
The Princess put it on and left the palace that very day taking the gowns with her.
The fairy gave her a magic wand and an enchanted jewelry box.
Exhausted by her long journey, the Princess stopped at a humble farmhouse.
Begone! I need no paupers here!
Please…I will do any kind of work you give me…just let me stay here.
Very well, I can use an extra pair of hands. You can go clean the pigsty.
Thank you.
Sunday will be your day off. You can stay in the shed in the woods.
You are too filthy to sleep over here.
Thank you.
From that day, the Princess worked in the kitchen and around the farm and always wore her donkey skin.
Every Sunday, she would wash of all of the dirt
and dress herself in one of the magnificent gowns she kept in the enchanted jewelry box.
I miss the luxuries of the palace. I wonder how my father is now…
The Princess waited all week for Sunday to come, when she could wear her sky-blue dress,
or the one that shimmered like moonlight and remember how it felt to be a princess again.
One day, a young prince from a near-by kingdom got lost in the woods while hunting rabbits.
Where am I? How do I find my way back?
Oh…why would there be a shed in a place like this? Could someone be living there?
Peeking through the keyhole, he saw the beautiful Princess in one of her gorgeous gowns.
He fell in love with her at once.
I have never seen anyone so lovely…she must be a fairy!
After that day, the Prince could not stop thinking about the vision he saw in the forest
and could not eat or sleep.
You haven’t eaten anything. Are you ill? Is something the matter?
I just can’t forget the fairy I saw in the woods…
Is this about your fantasies again? I have already sent someone to investigate.
They say that shed belongs to a filthy girl who wears a donkey’s skin. What you saw was a dream!
But it wasn’t! I must have some of those delicious cookies she makes…
O well… If there is the other way...
The queen could not watch her son lose any more weight
so she called Donkey Skin and told her to make cookies for the prince.
Naturally nobody knew that she was a princess herself.
What happened to my ring?
What’s taking you so long? Why are you not done yet?
I will be done in a second! I will! Just...
Finally the prince got a chance to enjoy the cookies.
Do not eat so fast, you will get a stomachache.
How can I? They are so light and airy! I feel much better already!
I am so happy to hear it!
What is this? A ring in a cookie?
The ring gave the prince a brilliant idea.
Mother, there is something I need you to promise me.
What is it? You sound so mysterious...
Let me marry the girl who can put this ring on.
What? Anything that can save you from your illness.
True to her word, the queen invited all the princesses from the neighboring countries to try the ring.
Now the princess who can put this ring on will marry my son.
I am sure it is my size! It does not fit!
It is impossible! It is too small!
Careful! Do not damage the ring. Next one! Nobody?
There are no more princesses left in the neighborhood.
It does not have to be a princess. Anyone can try it on.
You Majesty, I brought all the maids of the palace.
I cannot help it. Let them try the ring on.
Maybe not this one. She is so filthy, and stinky! All right, all right.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
I cannot believe it!
She is the Fairy I have been telling you about! Yes, it's her!
The Princess had no choice but to tell the Prince and Queen her tragic story.
I am a Princess from the neighboring kingdom.
I had to run away because my father proposed to me after my mother’s death.
How horrible! Shall we invite him to the wedding?
I want him to know that you under my protection now!
Thank you!
The people cheered for the Prince and Princess and were amazed by their magnificent wedding.
At that moment, the King’s carriage arrived.
My daughter! / Father!
My child! You are alive! I almost went mad with grief! Please forgive me!
Let us forget the past.
The King found himself a beautiful and clever wife.
The Prince and Princess were soon crowned King and Queen.
They lived long and happily, and their kingdom was peaceful and prosperous.