Once upon a time a king and a queen lived in a bright, tall castle. They were rich and had everything they needed, but they had no child. The queen felt very sad and often said that her heart felt empty. One day her wish came true. A baby was born in the castle. But this baby did not look like other babies. He looked like a little donkey! He had soft brown fur and long funny ears. The king and queen were surprised, but the king gently picked him up and said that he was their child and their dear little prince. The queen held him in her arms and soon loved him with all her heart.
The little donkey prince grew bigger and stronger every year. His long ears stood up high, and his eyes were kind and bright. Everyone in the castle saw that he was cheerful and polite. He liked to run and jump in the garden, but most of all he loved music. Whenever he heard someone playing a lute, he stopped and listened very carefully.
One day the donkey prince went to a famous musician who lived near the castle. He politely asked the man to teach him how to play the lute. The musician looked at the prince and said that it might be hard, because the prince had hooves instead of fingers. But the donkey prince did not give up. He promised to try his best.
Day after day he practiced. He held the lute in a careful way and touched the strings slowly and gently. Sometimes the sound was not very pretty, but he kept going. Little by little the music grew sweet and clear. The musician was amazed and said that the donkey prince now played as well as any great master. Everyone in the castle was proud. The king and queen were happy that their son was so kind and so talented.
Still, as the prince grew older, he sometimes felt a little lonely. When he looked at his reflection in a clear pond, he saw a donkey and wondered why he was different. One day he decided to travel and see the wide world. He thanked his parents, and they blessed him. He took a loyal companion with him and walked down the road, carrying his beloved lute.
After many days they came to another kingdom. In this land there was an old king and a single daughter who was very beautiful, gentle and wise. The donkey prince stopped in front of the great gate of the new castle and called out that a guest had come. The guards were surprised to see a donkey standing there, even a noble one with bright eyes and a lute.
They did not open the gate at once, so the prince quietly sat down and began to play. The music was soft, warm and wonderful. It floated over the walls and through the windows. The people inside the castle listened in silence. The old king heard the music too and asked who was playing so well. The servants answered that it was a young donkey sitting at the gate with a lute in his hooves. The king was curious and kind. He said that such a good musician should be let in. So the guards opened the gate and the donkey prince walked into the great hall.
Some people laughed a little when they saw a donkey in a royal room, but the king spoke kindly and asked him to eat and rest. The donkey prince stood tall and answered politely that he was not a simple stable donkey, but a noble guest. He spoke so gently that the king smiled and invited him to sit closer. Then the king asked what the prince thought of his daughter. The donkey prince turned his head and looked at the princess. She had kind eyes and a sweet smile. He said in a clear voice that he liked her very much and that he had never seen anyone so gentle and beautiful.
The king laughed happily and told him to sit beside her. The donkey prince sat by the princess and ate and drank carefully. He was neat, friendly and very well behaved. The princess listened to him speak and loved to hear his music. She saw that his heart was good, and she liked him more and more each day. The donkey prince stayed in the castle for a long time. The king enjoyed his music and his wise, simple words. But after a while the prince grew quiet. He thought that he would always look like a donkey and that he might never truly belong.
He went to the king and politely asked if he could leave and travel on again. The king did not want to lose his new friend. He asked if the prince wanted gold, or fine clothes, or a part of the kingdom. The prince shook his head. Then the king smiled and asked if he would like to stay and marry the princess, who now cared for him very much. The donkey prince felt his heart fill with joy. This was his secret wish. He said yes at once, and a big, bright wedding was prepared. The whole castle was decorated with flowers and lights. People came from near and far. They danced, laughed and listened to the prince play lovely songs on his lute.
At last it was evening, and the princess and the donkey prince were led to their room. When they were alone, the prince looked at his bride with trust and said that he wanted to show her who he really was. He stepped away, and very gently he slipped off his donkey skin. At that moment he became a handsome young man, as human as any prince could be. His eyes were the same kind eyes she knew, and his smile was warm and loving. He told her that a spell had made him look like a donkey, and that inside he had always been a man. He asked if she could still love him. The princess was full of joy. She said she loved him for his heart, his music and his gentle ways, and that now she loved him even more. She promised to keep his secret safe.
In the morning the prince quietly put on the donkey skin again, so that everyone still saw a donkey. But the princess knew the truth and was not sad at all. The old king noticed that his daughter looked very happy, and he wondered why. At last she told him everything, in a soft voice, because she trusted him. The king was surprised, but he wanted to help his daughter and the good prince. A wise man at the court said that if the donkey skin were taken away and burned in a strong fire, the spell could end forever. One night, when the prince and princess were fast asleep, the king took the skin and burned it. In the morning the prince woke up free at last. He never had to hide again. The king told him to stay, marry the princess in his true form, and one day have half the kingdom. The prince and princess ruled with kindness, and they lived together in love and happiness for many, many years.
