The Fairy Tale of the Rich Prince and the Diligent Maiden - Illustrated by Vojtěch Kubašta

Not all fairy tale princesses need to call upon a fairy godmother for help. With elements from Rumpelstiltskin, this whimsical advertisement for Lada brand sewing machines demonstrates that engineering could be modern magic. This vintage ad is undated with illustrations by Vojtěch Kubašta (1914-1992).

 

Once upon a time there lived a prince. He did nothing all day but go hunting. One day, however, he and his companions lost their way in the deep forest.

After wandering about completely lost for a long time they at last came out into a clearing. There they found a tumble-down cottage and in it a diligent maiden named Lada. The young girl showed them the way out of the forest. Many days had passed but the prince could not forget the maiden.

He confided in his father the king and told him that he had fallen in love with a poor maiden and wished to make her his wife. The king, however, did not dare to decide and sent his son to ask the advice of the queen.

The queen had Lada brought before her and said to her: "You must deserve your good fortune. You can become the wife of the prince but only on condition that you do as I command."

The queen took Lada and her luggage into a hall which was filled from the floor to the ceiling with the most expensive fabrics. "You must use all of these for your trousseau and have it finished in three days."

Then the queen locked the door with seven locks and in addition placed guards outside. For three days and three nights all that was to be heard from the hall was the singing of diligent Lada and a gentle, mysterious humming sound...

To the surprise of the queen however, when on the third day she entered the hall, it was empty! Lada modestly pulled aside the curtains

and then all present saw many finished dresses, beautifully sewn and magnificently embroidered. Lada had fulfilled her task and the wedding festivities commenced.

For three days and three nights there was eating, drinking and merry-making. Only the queen was all out of humour until finally she asked Lada to tell her the secret of the magic which had enabled her to fulfill the task which had been given her.

"It's no magic--it's only my faithful companion, a perfect sewing machine," replied Lada. "It will serve anybody just as well as it serves me." How happy this made everyone! In honour of diligent Lada, they named the sewing machine after her--LADA!

Yes, the perfect LADA sewing machine can become your helper too for sewing, mending or embroidering and many other jobs.

Related post: When Cinderella Dined with the Prince

The Best of Cinderella

Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, a fairy tale about an oppressed young woman who overcomes her dire circumstances through perseverance and kindness. Known internationally by many names: Rhodopis in Greece, Cenerentola in Italy, Ye Xian in China, and Tấm Cám in Vietnam are just a few examples. French author Charles Perrault (1628-1703) wrote his version, Cendrillon in 1697 well after all of these stories had been conceived but his tale has become the most popular and most widely retold in English. Even Aschenputtel by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 did not outshine it. The supernatural elements that Perrault included in his story, such as the fairy godmother and her powers of transformation might be the extra glitter that adds just a touch more excitement to this rags to riches fairy tale.

Rehashing old stories is not a new phenomenon and the story of Cinderella and its variants are published yearly; a testament to it being a continued financial success. Below are some favourites from our collection in no particular order. Listed are only standalone English versions. Stories belonging to a compilation are omitted from this list. The quality of writing, artwork, design, and binding are taken into consideration.

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This lovely book published by Disney Press in 2015 is a movie tie-in. Written in simple rhyme by Brittany Candau, the story is a shortened version of the Disney live action adaptation starry Lily James. You won't need to have watched the movie to enjoy the book; it holds its own as a stand-alone storybook. Digital illustrations by Cory Godbey offer a modern touch. It's luminous and romantic, adding more interaction between Ella and the prince. This slightly larger than average size book comes with a velvety dust jacket that feels nice to the touch. Also available as a chapter book for preteens. At the time this book came out, a digital copy of it was included with purchase for download through Disney Story Central. That online store has now retired and ebooks bought there are not retrievable. It's always better with a physical copy.

When Cinderella Dined with the Prince - Fairy Tale Table Etiquette

Every boy and girl knows how Cinderella's fairy godmother sent her to the Prince's ball in a golden coach. The Prince liked her instantly, but it was at supper that he really fell in love with her. She was so beautiful and had such perfect table manners. Cinderella's own mother had trained her carefully you see, and so she knew just how to act even with a Prince. You will want to read the story never written before about what happened when Cinderella and the Prince dined together.

  

When the Prince took Cinderella to dinner that first night wasn't she thankful her mother had taught her the right way to eat? She dipped her soup spoon away from her, and she didn't fill it too full. When Cinderella cut her meat, she held her fork in her left hand with the prongs down, and her knife in her right hand. Her fingers and thumb closed round the handles and didn't go near the blade or prongs.

  

Cinderella felt quite at home when she saw that the Prince ate with his fork exactly as she did. He held it in his right hand with the prongs up when he was eating vegetables, lifting it like a spoon to his mouth. A footman passed the bread to the Prince. He took a slice and laid it on his bread-and-butter plate. Then he broke off a little piece just big enough to go into his mouth and buttered it with his butter spreader.

Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack - Illustrated by Stevie Lewis

Prince & Knight, a fairy tale for modern times. A dashing and courageous prince searches far and wide for a worthy partner in this lighthearted take on true love. This story has the elements of a classic fairy tale: a charming prince who lives in a land far far away, he fights a fire-breathing dragon, finds his one true love and live happily ever after. His love however, is not the typical damsel in distress; he did not kiss her awake or save her from an evil witch but is a knight in shining armour. This knight, who is equally courageous and handsome as our prince shows that love doesn't have to follow the norm, it just needs to follow the heart. Written by Daniel Haack in rhyme, this book is a fun read and the messages in this LGBTQ friendly story will be easy to understand for young readers.

Stevie Lewis' illustrations are whimsical and cute; aptly chosen for this sensitive story. There is great use of colour for dramatic emphasis throughout. Her illustrations are clean, upbeat and a bit retro. The princesses are painted with different skin tones is a nice plus. Recommended for ages 5+.

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little bee books 2018
Hardcover 40p
9.8" x 8.2"