The White Cat Princess
Once upon a time, there was a king who had a little dog with bright eyes and sleek black fur. The king was very fond of the dog, but unfortunately, one day the dog went missing, and for several days the king did not see it. The king ordered the young prince and his two older brothers to search for the dog and gave them a hundred days to find it. They left the castle and had been gone a long time, but there was no news.
One pitch-black night, the young prince was walking along the road when suddenly there was a flash of lightning, followed by thunder, and it began to pour down rain. The prince was soaked to the skin. He saw a faint light ahead and followed it to a castle. It was a very beautiful castle, with golden gates adorned with glittering diamonds. The prince noticed a small foot peeking out from under the gate and touched it. A clear bell rang out, and the gate opened automatically. Instantly, many torches floated through the air, lighting up the night as bright as day.
The young prince was astonished. An invisible hand gently guided him into a magnificent hall. He was greeted by sweet singing. The walls of the hall were lined with paintings and treasures, countless chandeliers, and candles, with a roaring fire in the fireplace. The invisible hand helped the prince out of his wet clothes and into dry, fine garments. A dining table silently moved into place, with two servings of exquisite food. What surprised him even more was when a procession of cats entered in perfect order—one held a musical score, another kept time, one played the violin, and several others “meowed” in harmony. It turned out that the lovely singing came from these cats. The prince couldn’t help but laugh. Then, a small white cat walked in, lifting the black veil over her head. She spoke sweetly and softly to him, “Your Highness, our esteemed guest, it is an honor to meet you!” She was the mistress of the castle, the beautiful and charming White Cat Princess.
The next morning, the White Cat Princess invited the prince to go hunting in the forest. The prince rode a wooden horse that ran swiftly, while the princess, now unveiled, rode on the back of a monkey. Over five hundred cats and hounds led the way, a grand procession that scared all the animals in the forest. The hunt was very successful, and the cats cheered as they lifted the White Cat Princess high into the air.
Days passed, and the prince spent all his time hunting and fishing with the White Cat Princess, completely forgetting about his mission to find the little dog. With only three days left before the king’s deadline, the White Cat Princess told him, “Your Highness, do not worry. I will help you. Here is an acorn, inside it is the most beautiful little dog in the world.”
“Thank you so much, Princess!” the prince sincerely thanked her, then rode his wooden horse back to his kingdom. The king and his brothers were waiting for him. His two brothers had brought back very cute dogs. The prince opened the acorn given to him by the White Cat Princess, and out jumped a tiny long-eared dog, which began to dance on its hind legs. Everyone was amused. The king was very pleased and held up a needle, saying, “You have all done well! Now, let’s see who can find a piece of cloth that can pass through the eye of this needle within one year and one day.”
The prince mounted his wooden horse and rode as fast as he could back to the White Cat Princess’s castle. All the doors of the castle were open, and thousands of lamps lit up the place. The invisible hand led the prince’s wooden horse to the stable. When the prince entered, the White Cat Princess was resting on a white satin cushion. The prince told her everything that had happened and said, “Now my father wants a piece of cloth that can pass through a needle’s eye. I don’t think such a thing exists in the world.”
“Don’t worry, my friend. I have some cats in my castle who are very skilled at weaving. They can give it a try; everything will be fine,” the White Cat Princess reassured him.
A year passed quickly, and the princess reminded the prince that it was time to return. The prince was reluctant to leave. The princess said, “Go back to your father now, don’t miss the agreed time. This walnut contains the fabric you need; don’t worry, you will succeed!”
The prince left the castle and quickly returned to his father’s palace. His two brothers had already arrived and hurried to present what they had brought. Their fine fabrics could pass through the large needle eye but failed to pass through the small one.
The prince took out the walnut given by the White Cat Princess. He cracked it open, and inside was a hazelnut. He cracked the hazelnut, and inside was a cherry pit. Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what the prince was trying to do, and the king was secretly amused. The prince then cracked open the cherry pit, and inside was a kernel. People began to whisper, “Is someone playing a joke on the prince?” The prince kept cracking the kernel open, and inside was a grain of wheat, then inside that was a millet seed. The prince also began to doubt, thinking the White Cat Princess had tricked him. Just then, the prince felt a small scratch like a cat’s paw in his palm. He hurriedly opened the millet seed and found a piece of cloth that was as light as smoke, decorated with birds, beasts, trees, the sun, stars, and the moon. Even the king, queen, and ministers were depicted on it, leaving everyone astonished. The king took a needle, and the prince easily passed the fabric through the eye of the needle. Amid cheers, the king announced, “My children, you have made me very happy! But I have one more task: whoever can marry the most beautiful bride within a year, I will crown him on the day of the wedding!”
The prince returned to the White Cat Princess. The castle road was already paved with fragrant roses, and the princess awaited him on a luxurious carpet. The prince first expressed his gratitude to the princess for her help and then, just like the previous years, enjoyed carefree days of hunting and fishing with her, completely forgetting about finding a bride. Another year was almost over.
One evening, the princess said to the prince, “Will you do something for me?” “I would be very happy to serve you!” the prince replied. “Cut off my head and tail and throw them into the fire,” said the princess. The prince cried out, “Ah! How could I do that? You have been so kind to me, how can I hurt you?” The prince refused, crying and pleading with the princess to change her mind, but she insisted. With no other choice, the prince reluctantly drew his sword, trembling, and cut off the princess’s head and tail, throwing them into the fire.
A miraculous thing happened. The body of the white cat began to grow until she transformed into the most enchanting princess in the world! At that moment, the door opened, and a group of lords and ladies entered, each draped in cat fur. They knelt before the princess, kissing her hand.
Everyone left the room, and the princess kept the prince with her alone. She said, “Your Highness, my father rules over six kingdoms, and my mother is the most beautiful queen. When I was very young, my mother was enchanted by the fruit trees in a fairy’s castle and fell ill because of her desire for the lovely fruits. To cure her, the fairy turned me and my attendants into cats as a condition for healing my mother. Before the fairy left, she told me that a prince would come to rescue me. That prince is you, Your Highness!”
The prince and the princess returned to his kingdom together. The king held a grand wedding ceremony in the palace and crowned the prince on the wedding day.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
