Fawn in the wood

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78083

Title

Fawn in the wood

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A Victorian fairy tale of forbidden love and magical transformation, this story follows a princess cursed to remain a fawn until her fifteenth year. When a jealous servant prematurely exposes her to daylight, she flees into the woods, where a prince must choose between duty and compassion to win her heart.

Summary up to 500 words

In the tale of 'Fawn in the Wood,' a King and Queen, long childless, are granted a daughter named Desired by a magical crab fairy. However, the fairy places a severe curse upon the infant: if she sees sunlight before her fifteenth birthday, she will die. To protect her, the royal couple raises Desired in a windowless palace, where she grows into a woman of exceptional beauty and virtue, having known only the light of candles. As Desired approaches her fifteenth birthday, her portrait is sent to courts across the world, captivating many suitors. Among them is Prince Warrior, who falls deeply in love with her from afar. Despite his father's efforts to arrange a marriage, Desired's parents refuse to let her leave the palace until the curse's deadline passes. Eventually, Desired herself requests a journey in a sealed carriage to reach Prince Warrior. She is accompanied by two ladies-in-waiting: the loyal Clove-Flower and the jealous Long-Nails, who secretly desires the Prince for herself. On the final day of the journey, Long-Nails cuts open the carriage roof, exposing Desired to the sunlight. The curse takes immediate effect; Desired transforms into a white fawn and flees into the forest. Long-Nails, disguised in the Princess's clothes, claims the throne, but Prince Warrior instantly recognizes the deception and exiles himself into the woods with his faithful servant, Silvertongue. In the forest, the fawn finds shelter with Clove-Flower and a kind fairy, Tulip. By night, Desired regains her human form, weeping over her separation from the Prince. Meanwhile, Prince Warrior wanders the woods, dreaming of her. He accidentally wounds the fawn with an arrow but, moved by her pain, tends to her injury. When night falls, he discovers her true identity. With the help of the fairies, the Princess is safely transported to the Prince's court in a darkened carriage just before her fifteenth birthday arrives. The couple is reunited, and they are married with great splendor, accompanied by the six fairies who attended her birth. The story concludes with the marriage of Silvertongue and Clove-Flower, restoring justice and happiness to all.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction
• Fairy Tales