Once upon a time, there was a seamstress named Elsa who could cut and sew the most beautiful dresses, hats and cloaks. Everyone in town called her “golden hands”, so beautiful and rare were her creations.
One day, a king came to town with his Queen. They dismounted their ornate carriage and a page led them to Elsa’s door. On seeing such illustrious guests at her door, Elsa blushed and marvelled. For a moment she leaned against the door lintel, overwhelmed.
After the page had ceremoniously uttered all the titles and lands the king and queen ruled over, she knelt down and asked: “How can I be of service, my Lord and Lady?”
The queen said: “In ten days, our son is getting married to a princess from a neighbouring kingdom. It is tradition that I should give my daughter-in-law a beautiful veil. Here is the fabric I want you to make her veil from. Make it wonderful and make it quick. Make it the most marvellous veil a bride has ever worn.”
In saying so, she unrolled a long piece of precious, fine silk on the floor. Elsa saw that there was no point in protesting about having so little time, since the queen’s tone and expression admitted no reply. Elsa bowed and said: “I will do my best, my Lady.”
“You’d better do so.” The queen said and strode to the door. A chill ran down Elsa’s spine. She was quite nervous about the matter. The morning after, at dawn break, Elsa got up and started her work.
She first planned and drew all the ornaments that should be fitted in the veil. She then went on transferring the designs onto the long piece of veil with chalk. She worked all day and well into the night, by candle light. And this happened nine days and nights in a row.
On the tenth night, Elsa looked at her work and was satisfied: she had cut all the figures in the veil and she only had to sew the headdress inside the veil, so that it could be placed on the princess’ head.
“I can take a short nap, and when I wake up, I will finish my work.” – Elsa thought, yawning. She had been working for ten days and most of ten nights. She fell asleep as soon as her cheek touched the pillow and she did not even hear the cockerel’s cry.
When she woke up, the sun was high in the sky. “Oh dear, I am late!” Elsa wrung her hands in anxiety. “What will happen now? The queen will be here any moment. What can I do? It’s too late to sew the headdress in the veil.”
In a matter of moments, the queen’s carriage was in the yard. When she came inside, she saw the veil. It was so fine, the work was intricate and detailed, and she marvelled at Elsa’s artistry.
All the animals, plants, flowers and trees seemed to dance and animate the veil. A fine golden thread ran through the surface in spiraling patterns. The seams were inlaid with a luminous turquoise thread and the overall effect was stunning.
When the queen had admired the veil long enough, she praised Elsa and asked: “What would you like to receive as a payment for your work? Ask anything and you will receive it.”
Elsa’s answer surprised the queen: “My Lady, I only ask to accompany you and fit the veil on the princess’ head with my own hands.” The queen was amazed: “Is that all? Don’t you want anything for yourself?”
Elsa shook her head. The queen said to her page: “Lead this girl to the carriage.”
Elsa gathered all her tools, and soon they departed in the direction of the castle. All the servants and courtiers were waiting for them. Elsa was led to the princess’ apartment. Here a few damsels were attending to her needs.
Now, the princess was far from being a beauty. This marriage was a state affair, as it would bring together two warring kingdoms and peace would finally ensue for their exhausted people.
Elsa dissimulated her disappointment when she saw the princess, but to add evil to scorn, the princess was also haughty.
While Elsa laboured to fix the veil on her head, the princess never stopped complaining: “Ouch! Be careful! You are undoing my hair! Ouch, you fool, just scratched my head with your uncouth fingers.” And on and on like this. Elsa kept apologizing, while never stopping her work, until it was almost time to meet the prince in the big hall of the castle.
The prince, in the other wing of the castle, sat in misery because he did not want to marry the foreign princess, but he knew very well that he had no choice if he wanted peace for his people.
His faithful nurse, who had seen him in the cradle first, was feeling very sad and sorry for him and would do anything in her power to help him, if only she knew what. Her friend, an elderly butler, had told her about Elsa and her veil. She was curious and wanted to see the veil in advance, so she contrived to visit the princess’ apartment with the excuse of a fake message on behalf of the prince.
When the prince’s nurse saw Elsa holding the veil and the droplets of sweat on her brow, an idea formed in her mind.
The princess was still complaining and mistreating Elsa, addressing her with harsh words. The old nurse said, bowing: “Your Highness, I’m here on behalf of the Prince, soon to be your husband. His Highness says that he would rather see you without the veil, as your Highness’ beauty deserves to shine out.”
The princess, who was as vain as she was haughty, was relieved. “Yes!” She exclaimed. “I will do without this stupid veil and this savage custom of yours.”
Elsa was taken aback, all this work for nothing – but she complied and took the veil away. “And what should I do with the veil?” –she asked.
The princess was already striding past everybody with her head held high, so the old nurse whispered: “Bring it along fully open”, and bade three damsels to help Elsa carry it into the hall.
When the princess entered the hall without the veil, the very air froze. A long silence ensued, only broken by her strutting and murmurs. Little by little, the guests recovered from the astonishment and started murmuring.
The queen was stone-faced. The king was bewildered, and the prince was dismayed because the princess was so plain. Soon, it was clear that she was also self-satisfied, conceited and foolish. The guests and the people booed and whistled.
Then, the old nurse had Elsa and the damsels hold the veil at the very centre of the hall, and everyone marvelled. At that point, the prince, who saw the veil for the first time, came forward and said: “So much beauty!”
The princess was scorned, as the prince passed past her without a glance, and she declared she would never marry such a villain. There was a big commotion.
The two father kings were already summoning their diplomats to discuss the terms of a new truce and to avoid the break of a new war, and the old nurse was at the end of her wits, when Elsa came forward and said: “Mighty kings, I am only a young seamstress, but I humbly ask the king of our kingdom to offer this precious veil as a token. Let it be the seal of peace, friendship and succour between you and your people.”
Everybody in the hall was spellbound by the animated beauty of the veil and the simple truthfulness of Elsa’s words. The queen, mother of the princess, held her husband’s arm and nodded. Then she said: “Yes, your Highness, let us accept this wondrous gift, and avoid another awful war.”
And so it was that the prince was released from the obligation of marrying the haughty princess, who in the meanwhile had ordered her page to carry her back to her father’s castle. Everybody rejoiced.
Soon, the two kingdoms thrived and became allies. A long time of peace followed. The prince was free to marry whom he pleased, and Elsa was rewarded greatly for all her pains.
She became a wealthy woman, but she went on working at her beloved trade, and people started calling her “golden hands and brains.”