00:00The story begins in a distant kingdom ruled by King George, a monarch deeply consumed by grief even a decade after his wife's death.
00:08Every morning, his cries of sorrow echo so loudly they are heard far beyond the palace, forcing townspeople to cover their ears.
00:15Despite his mourning, King George has 12 grown daughters, each with her own independent mind.
00:22Fearing their freedom, the king confines them in a separate palace and strictly forbids them from leaving.
00:27Unlike their father, the princesses wish to embrace life joyfully, but their lives remain limited and monitored.
00:36To enforce the king's rules, his advisor Fred inspects the princesses' palace daily.
00:41One morning, as he wakes them and checks their rooms, he notices that all their shoes, except Amanda's, are mysteriously worn out, even though they receive new souls every day.
00:52Suspicious, Fred confronts them, demanding to know where they...
00:55Go each night, but the princesses deny any wrongdoing.
01:00They mockingly compare Fred to a rooster, as he wakes them every morning.
01:05Meanwhile, the king continues mourning, oblivious to his daughter's growing resentment.
01:11Even Michael, a wandering, puppeteer performing in the streets, hears the king's cries from afar.
01:16Fred reports his findings to the king, expressing concern about the mystery of the worn shoes and the princesses' late rising.
01:25The king suspects they might be sneaking out, but is reminded by Fred that the palace is tightly guarded.
01:30With no...
01:32Signs of forced entry or escape, the mystery deepens.
01:36The aging king, without a male heir, expresses his desire to find a worthy prince to inherit the throne by solving the mystery.
01:43Fred reminds him of the deadly condition.
01:46Those who fail to solve it within a week are executed.
01:50Many brave suitors have already lost their lives trying.
01:54Fred, harboring secret intentions to marry Princess Amanda and inherit the throne himself,
02:00vows to uncover the truth.
02:01Elsewhere, Michael walks toward the market with his puppet.
02:07Along the way, he spots a black cat, which he sees as a good omen.
02:11However, when he looks back, the cat is gone, replaced by an old woman struggling with a...
02:16Bundle of firewood.
02:18Curious but kind-hearted, Michael offers to carry her bundle to the market.
02:23She accepts, and they head off together.
02:26Back at the palace, the king interrogates his daughters again.
02:29He questions how their shoes become torn despite no one being allowed.
02:34In or out, the princesses sarcastically suggest that perhaps rats are chewing them.
02:38Angered, the king accuses them of lying, pointing out Amanda's shoes as the only ones left untouched,
02:44implying she may not be involved in whatever secret activity is occurring.
02:49Frustrated, the princesses express their pain.
02:53They tell their father that his endless mourning has imprisoned them and robbed them of joy.
02:57Now, even their loyalty is being questioned.
03:01They ask when their confinement and suffering will end, but the king responds coldly,
03:05refusing to accept their words as anything more than disobedience.
03:10Fred continues his investigation, searching the eye, princesses' quarters.
03:16He finds Amanda's scarf, and in a moment of obsession, he wraps it around his head and applies her lipstick,
03:22fantasizing about being with her.
03:24Outside, Michael helps the old woman carry her bundle.
03:29She points toward Eve, the palace where Fred is seen dangling from a long black curtain.
03:34Fred, believing he found a secret escape route, had tried climbing down from the window but got stuck.
03:40Spotting a hay pile below, he let go, only to land painfully on a hidden spade that pierced his backside.
03:46He screams in agony while trying.
03:48Michael continues toward the market, carrying both the woman and her bundle.
03:54She praises his generosity and says he will be rewarded one day.
03:59Michael smiles, explaining that he doesn't worry about the past or future.
04:03He lives freely like a bird, without destination or home.
04:06But when he turns, the old woman vanishes, replaced once again by the black cat, leaving Michael bewildered.
04:14Meanwhile, the cobbler repairs the princess's shoes again.
04:17Fred limps into the room, hiding the truth of his injury.
04:21The king appears and commands Fred to find a brave man or prince to stay with the princesses,
04:26and uncover what they do each night.
04:28Amanda protests, questioning how many lives he will risk.
04:33For this mystery, reminding him of the men who have already died.
04:37The king insists this will be the final attempt.
04:40If it fails, he promises to try another way.
04:44Later, Michael is seen performing his puppet show for a group of children.
04:48Though the kids enjoy it, no one pays him.
04:51A passerby mockingly gives him a fake coin, which Michael accepts with grace.
04:55Watching from above, Fred tosses a real gold coin into Michael's bowl,
05:01and tells him this is just a glimpse of the wealth.
05:04He could have.
05:05He offers Michael a chance to marry a princess and become king,
05:09if he agrees to stay in the palace and uncover the secret behind the princess's worn shoes.
05:14Michael, stunned, recalls the fates of the many who failed before him,
05:18and refuses, saying life is too precious to gamble.
05:22Despite Fred's continued efforts to lure him, Michael remains hesitant.
05:26Unwilling to risk death for gold or glory.
05:29Thus, the mystery of the worn-out shoes deepens.
05:32The king remains tormented,
05:34and Michael unknowingly steps closer to a magical adventure that could change his life forever.
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