Fawn in the wood

About this book

Fawn in the wood by Unknown is an illustrated children’s fairy tale written in the late 19th century. It follows a princess cursed to become a white fawn if she sees daylight before turning fifteen, and traces how love, loyalty, and fairy intervention strive to undo the enchantment.

A childless queen gains a daughter, Desired, thanks to fairies, but an offended crab-fairy warns that daylight before fifteen will doom the girl. Kept in a windowless palace, Desired and Prince Warrior fall in love by portraits. As she travels in a sealed coach to him, a jealous lady-in-waiting, Long-Nails, slashes the roof, exposing daylight and transforming the princess into a white fawn who flees the forest. Long-Nails tries to impersonate her but is unmasked; the prince wanders in exile with his confidant Silvertongue. The faithful maid Clove-Flower finds the fawn, and the kindly fairy Tulip softens the curse so the princess is human at night. The prince unknowingly wounds the fawn, then tends her; that night he discovers the truth, and Tulip guides events so the king finds them. Kept in darkness until the fated birthday passes, the princess is safely restored; she weds the prince, and Silvertongue marries Clove-Flower, while the fairies bless the union.