Once upon a successful in business, strong, brave, good king with his lovely wife Queen. His subjects loved him. His neighbors and rivals bowed before him. His wife was charming and gentle, and their love was deep and sincere. They had only one daughter, whose beauty is equal virtue. The king and queen loved her more than life itself.
Luxury and abundance reigned everywhere in the palace, the king's advisers were wise servants - hardworking and loyal, the stables were full of the most thoroughbred horses, basements - countless stocks of food and drink. But the most surprising was the fact that the most prominent place in the stable, was an ordinary gray long-eared donkey, which serves thousands of agile servants. It was not just a whim of the king. The point is that instead of filth that should be dotted with donkey litter every morning it was covered with gold coins, which the servants were collected daily. So great was the happy life in this kingdom.
One day the Queen was ill. Who gathered from around the world, scientists skilled doctors could not cure her. She felt that her hour of death approaches. Called the King, she said: "I want you to fulfill my last wish. When you get married after my death... "
- Never! - desperately interrupted fallen into the mountain king, but queen, gently stopping him with a gesture, continued in a firm voice: "You must marry again. Your ministers are right, you are bound to have an heir, and must promise me that you give consent to the marriage only if your fiancee will be more beautiful and slimmer me. Promise to me that, and I will die in peace. "
The king solemnly promised her this, and the queen died with blessed assurance that there is no other in the world as beautiful as she is. After her death, the ministers immediately began to demand that the king married again. The king did not want to hear about it, grieving for days about his dead wife.
But ministers do not keep up with him, and he told them the last request of the queen, he said, that he would marry if there is as beautiful as she is. Ministers began to look for a wife for him. They visited all the family, where the daughter was of marriageable age, but none of them could match the beauty of not the queen.
One day, sitting in the palace, and grieving for his dead wife, the king saw his daughter in the garden, and the darkness of his mind froze. She was more beautiful than her mother, and a distraught king decided to marry her. He told her of his decision, and she fell into despair and tears. But none that could not change the decision of a madman. At night, the princess sat in the carriage and went to see his godmother Lilac-sorceress. That calmed her and taught what to do.
- Marry her father - a great sin, - she said - so we do this: you are not going to contradict him, but say what you will receive as a gift before the wedding dress the color of the sky. It is impossible to do, he never will be able to find a dress.
The princess thanked the sorceress and drove home. The next day, she said to the king, he agreed to marry him only after he would get her a dress, not inferior to the beauty of the sky. The king immediately summoned all the most skilled tailors.
- Urgent sew for my daughter a dress, in comparison with which faded to blue vault of heaven, - he told. - If you do not follow my orders, then you will all be hanged.
Soon tailors brought ready-made clothes. Against the blue of the sky floated light golden clouds. The dress was so beautiful that it paled next to all living things. Princess does not know what to do. She went again to the Lilac-sorceress.
- require a fee color month - said the godmother. The king, when he heard from his daughter this request again immediately called the best craftsmen and such a formidable voice, gave them the order that they sewed a dress the next day. This dress was even better than before. Soft sheen of silver and stone, which it was embroidered, princess so upset that she was in tears disappeared into his room. Lilac Fairy, again came to the rescue goddaughter:
- Now you need from him dress color of the sun, - she said - at least, it will take him, but in the meantime we'll figure something out.
King Uncle, do not hesitate to give all the diamonds and rubies to decorate the dress. When tailors brought and spread it, all the courtiers, who saw him, immediately became blind, so bright it shone and shimmered. Princess, saying that the bright shine in her head hurt, ran to her room. Which appeared after her sorceress was extremely annoyed and disheartened.
- Well, now, - she said - came the most crucial moments in your destiny. Ask my father hide his favorite famous donkey, which supplies it with gold. Come on, my dear!
Princess expressed her request to the king, who, even though he knew that it was foolish whim, do not hesitate to give the order to kill the donkey. The poor animal was killed, and his skin solemnly presented numb with grief princess. Moaning and sobbing, she threw herself into her room, where she was expected sorceress.
- Do not cry, my child, - she said - if you're brave, grief turned to joy. Wrap in the skin and get out of here. Go, go until your feet, and you shall be the land that God leaves no virtue. If you're going to do as I command, the Lord will give you happiness. Go. Take my wand. All your clothes will follow you underground. If you want something to wear, stick knock twice on the ground, and will be what you need. Now hurry.
The princess wore the hideous donkey's skin, smeared with soot and furnace, unnoticed, slipped out of the castle. The king was furious when he discovered her disappearance. He sent in all directions hundred ninety-nine soldiers and a thousand hundred ninety-nine police officers, in order to find the princess. But all was in vain. Meanwhile, Princess ran and ran farther, looking for a place to sleep. Good people gave her food, but it was so dirty and scary that no one would take her to his house.
Finally she came to a large farm where looking for a girl, which would have washed the dirty rags, soap pig trough and took out the slops, in a word, to do all the dirty work around the house. After seeing the dirty ugly girl, a farmer asked her to engage him, thinking that this is just suited her. The princess was very happy, she worked hard all day long among sheep, pigs and cows. And soon, in spite of its ugliness, the farmer and his wife fell in love with her for her hard work and diligence.
One day, gathering firewood in the forest, she saw in the creek reflected. Nasty ass's skin, put on her, brought her in horror. She quickly pomylas and saw that her former beauty back to her. Returning home, she again had to put on a nasty ass's skin.
The next day was a holiday. Left alone in her closet, she pulled out her wand and double-banging it on the floor, summoned his chest dresses. Soon, impeccably clean, magnificent in her dress the color of the sky, all in diamonds and rings, she is admired in the mirror.
At the same time, the royal son, who belonged to this area, went hunting. On the way back, tired, he decided to stop to rest at the farm. He was young, handsome, well built and good-hearted. The farmer's wife cooked him dinner. After the meal, he went to inspect the farm. Going into a long dark corridor, he saw the back of his small locked closet and looked through the keyhole. Surprise and delight him knew no bounds. He saw such a beautiful and richly dressed girl, which is not seen even during sleep. At the same moment he fell in love with her and hurried to the farmer to know who is this beautiful stranger. He was told that the girl lives in a closet Donkey skin, so named because it is dirty and nasty to the point that one can not even look at her.
Prince realized that the farmer and his wife did not know about this secret and ask them meaningless. He returned to his home in the royal palace, but the image of a beautiful girl standing divine tore his imagination, without giving a moment's peace. From this, he fell ill and took to his terrible fever. The doctors were unable to help him.
- Perhaps - they said the queen, - your son rankles some terrible secret.
Agitated Queen hastened to her son and begged him to tell her the cause of his troubles. She promised to fulfill his every desire.
- Mother, - answered her prince in a weak voice, - on a farm not far from here lives a terrible ugly nicknamed Donkey Skin. I want her to be personally made me a cake. Maybe when I taste it, I will feel better.
Surprised Queen began asking his courtiers, who this Donkey Skin.
- Your Majesty, - explained one of her courtiers, who was once on this distant farm. - It's a horrible, vile, ugly black that removes manure and feeding swill pigs.
- It does not matter what it is, - retorted the Queen, - maybe this is a strange whim of my sick son, but if he wants it, let this Donkey Skin personally bake a cake for him. You need to quickly deliver it here.
A few minutes later the royal runner brought orders to the farm. Upon hearing this. Donkey Skin was very happy for the occasion. Happy, she hurried to his room, locked herself in her and, having washed and dressed in beautiful clothes, I began to prepare the cake.
Taking a very white flour and fresh eggs and butter, she began to knead the dough. And then, by chance or on purpose (who knows?), She slipped a ring from his finger and fell into the dough. When the cake was ready, she got on his ugly greasy ass's skin and give the cake the court guard, who hurried to the palace with him.
Prince eagerly and began to eat the cake, and suddenly he came across a small gold ring with an emerald. Now he knew that what he saw was not a dream. Ring was so small it could only nalezt most pretty finger on the light. Prince was constantly thinking and dreaming about the fairy-tale beauty, and he was again caught the fever, and with much greater force than before. As soon as the king and queen found out that their son was very seriously ill and there is no hope for his recovery, they were in tears, ran to him.
- My dear son! - I cried grieved the king. - Tell us what you want? There is not a thing that we did not get it for you.
- My dear father, - replied the prince, - look at that ring, it will give me the cure and heal me from sadness. I want to marry a girl, which is the ring will fit, no matter who it is - Princess or the poorest peasant.
The king took the ring carefully. Immediately he sent out a hundred drummers and heralds to all notified of the Royal Decree: the girl on her finger which wears gold ring, will become the bride of a prince. First were the princess, then came the Duchess, Baroness and awnings. But none of them was able to put on the ring. Twisted fingers and tried to get on the ring and actress seamstress, but their fingers were too fat. Then it came to the maids, cooks and shepherdesses, but they failed. This was reported to the prince.
- And there came to try on the ring Donkey Skin?
The courtiers laughed and replied that she was too dirty to appear in the palace.
- Find it and bring it here - ordered the king - ring should try everything without exception.
Donkey Skin heard drums and shouting heralds and realized that it was her ring has caused such a commotion. As soon as she heard the knock on her door, she washed up, combed and dressed beautifully. Then I put on a skin, and opened the door. Sent her courtiers laughingly took her to the palace of the prince.
- That you live in a small closet in the corner of the stables? - he asked.
- Yes, Your Highness, - said an ugly duckling.
- Show me your arm - asked the prince, before experiencing an unprecedented excitement.
But what was the astonishment of the king and queen and all the court, when out of the dirty smelly donkey skins I put out a small white stick, on which finger easily slid a gold ring, which turned out just right. Prince fell to his knees. Rushing to raise his ugly duckling bent Donkey skin slipped off her, and she appeared to all this magnificent beauty, which only happens in fairy tales. Dressed in a dress color of the sun, it is all shone, her cheeks would envy the best of the royal garden rose, and its blue sky colored eyes shone brighter than the largest diamonds royal treasury. King beamed. The Queen clapped her hands with joy. They begged her to marry their son.
No sooner had the princess answer, descended from heaven, Lilac Fairy, lavishing around the delicate aroma of flowers. She told everyone the story of Donkey skin. The king and queen were immensely happy that their future daughter-in takes place from such a rich and noble family, and the Prince heard about her courage, fell in love with it even more.
In different countries flew wedding invitations. First sent an invitation to the father of Princess, but not written, who the bride. And then came the day of the wedding. From all sides gathered at her kings and queens, princes and princesses. Who came in gilded carriages, who is on a huge elephant, ferocious tigers and lions, who flew fast eagles. But the most wealthy and powerful father was a princess. He arrived with his new wife, the beautiful widow queen. With great tenderness and joy he found his daughter and immediately blessed her to this marriage. As a wedding gift, he announced that his daughter from that day ruled his kingdom.
Three months went on this famous feast. And the love of the young prince with a young princess went on for a long time.
