In a land of green hills and sparkling rivers, a kind Queen was saying goodbye to her daughter, Princess Rosie. Rosie was off on a long journey to marry a handsome Prince in a faraway kingdom.

"Take Falada, my dear," said the Queen. Falada was a magnificent white horse, and guess what? He could talk! The Queen also gave Rosie a small, white handkerchief with three tiny drops of her own royal blood on it. "Keep this safe," she whispered, "it will help you."

A waiting-maid was chosen to travel with Rosie. But this maid, whose name was Martha, had a grumpy heart and a sneaky plan.

As they rode, Princess Rosie grew thirsty. "Oh, Martha," she said, "could you please fetch me some water from that stream in your golden cup?"
But Martha scowled. "If you're thirsty, get it yourself! I'm not your servant anymore!"
Rosie was so gentle, she climbed down from Falada and bent to drink from the stream. As she did, the special handkerchief slipped from her pocket and floated away down the water. Oh dear!

Martha saw her chance. "Now you have nothing to protect you!" she cackled. "Give me your royal clothes and your horse, Falada! You will be my servant, and I will be the princess. If you tell anyone, I'll make sure something terrible happens to you!"
Poor Rosie was scared and sad, so she agreed. Martha climbed onto Falada, wearing Rosie's fine dress, and Rosie had to ride Martha's plain old nag.

When they arrived at the Prince's castle, Martha, pretending to be the princess, was greeted with cheers and music. The real princess, Rosie, was ignored.
The false princess, Martha, whispered to the old King, "That horse Falada was very troublesome on the journey. You should get rid of him." She was afraid Falada would tell her secret!
Rosie heard this and her heart broke. She secretly begged the man who was to take Falada away, "Please, oh please, nail Falada's head over the big, dark gateway to the city. I pass it every day, and I want to see him."
The man felt sorry for her, so he did as she asked.

The next morning, as Rosie was led out to the fields with a boy named Conrad to look after the geese, she passed under the gateway.
She looked up and said sadly, "Oh Falada, Falada, there you hang."
And the head on the wall answered, "Oh Princess Rosie, passing by, if your mother knew, her heart would surely cry."

Every day, Rosie drove the geese through the gate, and every day she and Falada's head had their little chat.
Conrad, the goose boy, didn't like Rosie much. He especially wanted to pluck one of her shining golden hairs. But whenever he got close, Rosie would say:
"Blow, wind, blow, I say,
Take Conrad's hat far away!
Make him chase it, huff and puff,
Until he's had quite enough!"
And a gust of wind would snatch Conrad's hat, sending him running all over the fields while Rosie calmly combed her hair.

Conrad got very annoyed. He went to the old King and grumbled, "That new goose girl is strange! She talks to a horse's head, and the head talks back! And she can make the wind blow my hat off!"
The King was curious. The next day, he hid near the dark gateway and heard Rosie talking to Falada's head. Then he secretly followed them to the field and saw the wind carry away Conrad's hat.

That evening, the King called Rosie to him. "Little goose girl," he said kindly, "why are you so sad? Tell me your story. If you can't tell me, tell it to that old iron stove over there." And he slipped out of the room, but listened by the door.
Rosie, feeling lonely, crept inside the cold, dark stove and poured out her heart. She told of her mother, Falada, the lost handkerchief, and the wicked maid who had stolen her place.

The King heard everything! He ordered for royal clothes to be brought for Rosie. When she came out, dressed as a princess, everyone gasped. She was so beautiful!
The King then held a grand feast and invited the young Prince, Rosie, and Martha, the false bride. He told a story about a princess who was betrayed, and then asked Martha, "What punishment does someone deserve who tricks everyone like that?"
Martha, not knowing he was talking about her, said, "She deserves nothing less than to be put into a barrel stuck full of sharp nails, and to be dragged by two white horses up and down the street until she is no more!"
"You are that person," said the King, "and you have chosen your own punishment!"
And so, the wicked maid was taken away.

Princess Rosie then married the kind young Prince, who was overjoyed to have the true, gentle princess as his bride. And they, along with Falada's memory, lived happily ever after.

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