The Lady and the Lion

"The Lady and the Lion" is a lesser-known fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm that tells the story of a young woman who is forced to marry a lion as part of a cruel pact. The tale explores themes of bravery, sacrifice, and the power of love. As the woman faces her fate, she discovers the lion's true nature and undergoes a transformative journey that reveals the complexities of loyalty and the meaning of true beauty. The narrative is imbued with magical elements and moral lessons typical of Grimms’ fairy tales, showcasing the interplay between human desires and the supernatural.

• Children

								
There was once a Man who had to take a long journey, and when he was
saying good-bye to his daughters he asked what he should bring back to
them.

The eldest wanted pearls, the second diamonds, but the third said,
'Dear father, I should like a singing, soaring lark.'

The father said, 'Very well, if I can manage it, you shall have it';
and he kissed all three and set off. He bought pearls and diamonds for
the two eldest, but he had searched everywhere in vain for the
singing, soaring lark, and this worried him, for his youngest daughter
was his favourite child.

Once his way led through a wood, in the midst of which was a splendid
castle; near it stood a tree, and right up at the top he saw a lark
singing and soaring. 'Ah,' he said, 'I have come across you in the
nick of time'; and he called to his Servant to dismount and catch the
little creature. But as he approached the tree a Lion sprang out from
underneath, and shook himself, and roared so that the leaves on the
tree trembled.

'Who dares to steal my lark?' said he. 'I will eat up the thief!'

Then the Man said, 'I didn't know that the bird was yours. I will make
up for my fault by paying a heavy ransom. Only spare my life.'

But the Lion said, 'Nothing can save you, unless you promise to give
me whatever first meets you when you get home. If you consent, I will
give you your life and the bird into the bargain.'

But the Man hesitated, and said, 'Suppose my youngest and favourite
daughter were to come running to meet me when I go home!'

But the Servant was afraid, and said, 'Your daughter will not
necessarily be the first to come to meet you; it might just as well be
a cat or a dog.'

So the Man let himself be persuaded, took the lark, and promised to
the Lion for his own whatever first met him on his return home. When
he reached home, and entered his house, the first person who met him
was none other than his youngest daughter; she came running up and
kissed and caressed him, and when she saw that he had brought the
singing, soaring lark, she was beside herself with joy. But her father
could not rejoice; he began to cry, and said, 'My dear child, it has
cost me dear, for I have had to promise you to a Lion who will tear
you in pieces when he has you in his power.' And he told her all that
had happened, and begged her not to go, come what might.

But she consoled him, saying, 'Dear father, what you have promised
must be performed. I will go and will soon soften the Lion's heart, so
that I shall come back safe and sound.' The next morning the way was
shown to her, and she said good-bye and went confidently into the
forest.

Now the Lion was an enchanted Prince, who was a Lion by day, and all
his followers were Lions too; but by night they reassumed their human
form. On her arrival she was kindly received, and conducted to the
castle. When night fell, the Lion turned into a handsome man, and
their wedding was celebrated with due magnificence. And they lived
happily together, sitting up at night and sleeping by day. One day he
came to her and said, 'To-morrow there is a festival at your father's
house to celebrate your eldest sister's wedding; if you would like to
go my Lions shall escort you.'

She answered that she was very eager to see her father again, so she
went away accompanied by the Lions.

There was great rejoicing on her coming, for they all thought that she
had been torn to pieces and had long been dead.

But she told them what a handsome husband she had and how well she
fared; and she stayed with them as long as the wedding festivities
lasted. Then she went back again into the wood.

When the second daughter married, and the youngest was again invited
to the wedding, she said to the Lion, 'This time I will not go alone,
you must come too.'

But the Lion said it would be too dangerous, for if a gleam of light
touched him he would be changed into a Dove and would have to fly
about for seven years.

'Ah,' said she, 'only go with me, and I will protect you and keep off
every ray of light.'

So they went away together, and took their little child with them too.
They had a hall built with such thick walls that no ray could
penetrate, and thither the Lion was to retire when the wedding torches
were kindled. But the door was made of fresh wood which split and
caused a little crack which no one noticed.

Now the wedding was celebrated with great splendour. But when the
procession came back from church with a large number of torches and
lights, a ray of light no broader than a hair fell upon the Prince,
and the minute this ray touched him he was changed; and when his wife
came in and looked for him, she saw nothing but a White Dove sitting
there. The Dove said to her, 'For seven years I must fly about the
world; every seventh step I will let fall a drop of blood and a white
feather which will show you the way, and if you will follow the track
you can free me.'

Thereupon the Dove flew out of the door, and she followed it, and
every seventh step it let fall a drop of blood and a little white
feather to show her the way. So she wandered about the world, and
never rested till the seven years were nearly passed. Then she
rejoiced, thinking that she would soon be free of her troubles; but
she was still far from release. One day as they were journeying on in
the accustomed way, the feather and the drop of blood ceased falling,
and when she looked up the Dove had vanished.

'Man cannot help me,' she thought. So she climbed up to the Sun and
said to it, 'You shine upon all the valleys and mountain peaks, have
you not seen a White Dove flying by?'

'No,' said the Sun, 'I have not seen one; but I will give you a little
casket. Open it when you are in dire need.'

She thanked the Sun, and went on till night, when the Moon shone out.
'You shine all night,' she said, 'over field and forest, have you seen
a White Dove flying by?'

'No,' answered the Moon, 'I have seen none; but here is an egg. Break
it when you are in great need.'

She thanked the Moon, and went on till the Night Wind blew upon her.
'You blow among all the trees and leaves, have not you seen a White
Dove?' she asked.

'No,' said the Night Wind, 'I have not seen one; but I will ask the
other three Winds, who may, perhaps, have seen it.'

The East Wind and the West Wind came, but they had seen no Dove. Only
the South Wind said, 'I have seen the White Dove. It has flown away to
the Red Sea, where it has again become a Lion, since the seven years
are over; and the Lion is ever fighting with a Dragon who is an
enchanted Princess.'

Then the Night Wind said, 'I will advise you. Go to the Red Sea, you
will find tall reeds growing on the right bank; count them, and cut
down the eleventh, strike the Dragon with it and then the Lion will be
able to master it, and both will regain human shape. Next, look round,
and you will see the winged Griffin, who dwells by the Red Sea, leap

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