The Girl with One Shoe

Once, a long time ago, a soothsayer predicted that, when a prince grew up, he would marry a girl that would turn up at his palace wearing one shoe.

And, fearing that, if news of the prophecy got out, hundreds of women would turn up at the palace, each wearing one shoe, the prophecy was kept a secret.

But, one day, an evil witch named Hazelda learned about the prophecy from one of the houseflies that were her spies and, transforming herself into a beautiful young woman, set out in one shoe to the princes palace.

But a good fairy hiding in the evil witches house also discovered the prophecy and, flying to the house of a peasant girl named Trojina who was friend to all the fairies of the forest, told her that she must set off quickly to the palace in one shoe.

"Hurry", she said to Trojina, "And you may get there before the witch does".

And so, at the same time, the witch and Trojina both turned up infront of the palace, both wearing only one shoe but as they were both walking up to the palace gates, the Good fairy made some sharp stones appear on the ground infront of the witch that she stepped on with her bare foot, hurting her foot and so, while the witch was hopping up and down in pain, it was Trojina who reached the palace first and was spotted by the guards who had all been instructed, "keep watch for a girl wearing one shoe and if you see her let her enter".

And it was Trojina who was then welcomed into the palace as an honored guest and her to whom the Prince then knelt and proposed marriage and who then accepted the proposal.

But the witch was not happy that Trojina was engaged to the prince instead of her.

And, on the day of Trojinas wedding, the witch turned herself into Trojinas double and then, locking her in a wardrobe, put on Trojinas wedding dress and shoes and took her place at the wedding.

But the good fairy, hearing Trojina calling for help, let her out of the wardrobe and, just as the prince was about to marry the witch, Trojina came running into the chapel and, pointing to the witch, shouted,

"I am Trojina, that woman is an impostor, a witch".

But the witch laughed and said to the prince, "This is the witch that I told you about. Now she's pretending to be me so that she can spoil our wedding".

At first the prince did not know what to do but then the Good fairy whispered an idea in his ear and he kissed both the Witch and the real Trojina.

And the witches lips were as cold as ice but the real Trojinas lips were as warm as golden sun so the prince immediately knew which was the real Trojina and, pointing to the witch, said "Guards, Arrest this impostor".

But then, turning herself into an ogre, the witch seized hold of Trojina and pressing one razor sharp claw to her throat, said, "If I can not marry the prince, I will kill his bride".

Immediately, all the royal guards came forwards with their spears but none wanted to throw a spear at the monster for fear that they might hit Trojina.

However, then the Good fairy turned herself into a spear and said to the prince, "Throw me. I never miss".

And so the prince threw the fairy spear and, turning into a beam of golden light it struck a mirror behind the monster before, bouncing off of the mirror, it turned itself back into a spear and struck the ogre through the back of its head, killing it but missing Trojina.

Now, the witch finally defeated, Trojina and the Prince were married and lived happily forevermore.