In the Brothers Grimm tale “The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces,” twelve princesses secretly dance each night.
Their father notices that the princesses’ shoes are worn through every morning, even though their bedroom appears locked. He announces that anyone who discovers where they go may choose one princess as a spouse, while failure brings a severe penalty.
A soldier receives help from an old woman, who gives him an invisibility cloak and warns him not to drink anything offered by the princesses. He follows them through a trapdoor into an underground realm, where they dance with twelve princes. He gathers evidence from the places they visit, including branches and drinking vessels.
The Grimms’ title refers to the worn-out shoes, while the story is also widely known in English as “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” The number twelve is central to both the title’s common form and the princesses’ nightly ritual.