TSQ - IV: KAY WOODWARD

The illustrator, Croatian Manuel Sumberac, has chosen to make his Clever Princess a redhead, her consort being dark-haired. The steampunk/Art Nouveau interior in Sweden's colours stands out for its originality.

KAY WOODWARD RETELLING

In this kingdom, there lives a princess who is amazingly smart, extraordinarily clever.
She longed to marry. But she did not want an ordinary type of husband - one who would be charming and handsome and say only what he thought she wanted to hear. The princess wanted a husband who was as wise as an owl and as clever as a cat. She wanted a man who knew how to answer for himself.
Very sensible. One likes this princess already.
Before long, the line of suitors stretched three times around the palace. But as soon as they met the princess, each one of them was struck dumb. All they could do was repeat the same few words, over and over again. The princess was not impressed.
The next day, a boy with neither horse nor fine clothes marched boldly up to the palace. His eyes sparkled like diamonds, but his clothes were shabby and his shoes creaked.
When he spoke, the princess fell under his spell. But he wanted to hear what she had to say, too, which made her love him all the more.
...past the palace guards.
Long after nightfall, ...  through the palace gardens to an old wooden door hidden behind a mulberry bush. ...  “These stairs lead up to the palace bedrooms,”
... climbed the stairs slowly and at the top saw a room that made one gasp with delight. Its glass ceiling was shaped like the leaves of a palm tree. Two lily-shaped beds hung from a thick golden stem in the center of the room. In one bed lay the princess. In the other lay-
... the figure ...
But it was some other boy,
“Poor little thing!” said the prince and princess when they heard the sad tale.
“We will help,” they promised. The royal couple were as good as their word. The very next day, they dressed in silk and velvet and gave a carriage of pure gold. It was lined with sugarplums and beneath the seats were fruit and gingerbread.
One could hardly believe such kindness. ... So, waving good-bye to the prince and princess ...  went onward, her carriage shining like a sunbeam.


In this kingdom, there lives a princess who is extraordinarily clever.
She longed to marry. But she did not want an ordinary sort of husband - one who would be charming and handsome and say only what he thought she wanted to hear.
The princess wanted a husband who was as wise as an owl and as clever as a cat. She wanted a man who knew what to answer for himself.
Before long, the queue of suitors stretched three times around the palace. But as soon as they met the princess, each one of them was struck dumb. All they could do was repeat the same few words, over and over again.
The princess was not impressed.
The next day, a boy with neither horse nor fine clothes marched boldly up to the palace. His eyes sparkled like diamonds, but his clothes were shabby and his shoes creaked.
When he spoke, the princess fell under his spell.
But he wanted to hear what she had to say too, which made her love him all the more.

At the top of the stairs, there was a room...
Its glass ceiling was shaped like the leaves of a palm tree. Two lily-shaped beds hung from a thick golden stem in the centre of the room. In one bed lay the princess. In the other lay ---

The royal couple were as good as their word.