The Swineherd Page #2

The Swineherd is a fairy-tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a prince who disguises himself as a swineherd to win the love of a vain and arrogant princess. In order to win her over, he creates magical toys that she cannot resist but demands more every time in exchange for kisses. The princess values material possessions over character and doesn't realise the swineherd's true identity until it's too late. The story acts as a morality tale, warning of the dangers of vanity and greed.

• Children

								


"What does this mean?" he said, when he saw that his daughter
was kissing the swineherd, and then hit their heads with his shoe just
as the swineherd received the sixty-eighth kiss.

"Go out of my sight," said the emperor, for he was very angry; and
both the princess and the swineherd were banished from the empire.
There she stood and cried, the swineherd scolded her, and the rain
came down in torrents.

"Alas, unfortunate creature that I am!" said the princess, "I wish
I had accepted the prince. Oh, how wretched I am!"

The swineherd went behind a tree, wiped his face, threw off his
poor attire and stepped forth in his princely garments; he looked so
beautiful that the princess could not help bowing to him.

"I have now learnt to despise you," he said. "You refused an
honest prince; you did not appreciate the rose and the nightingale;
but you did not mind kissing a swineherd for his toys; you have no one
but yourself to blame!"

And then he returned into his kingdom and left her behind. She
could now sing at her leisure:

  "A jolly old sow once lived in a sty,
  Three little piggies has she," &c.
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