The Fairytale Forest of the Efteling will be richer by a new fairytale on Wednesday 14 May. From that date onwards, The Princess and the Pea will try to fall asleep on a huge pile of mattresses. Visitors will see and hear whether she succeeds, because as is often the case in the Fairytale Forest, the story of this fairytale will be told. This time it is a sung story by the Flemish singer Geike Arnaert, to a melody by house composer René Merkelbach.
The princess's royal pavilion is situated between the Troll King and Mother Holle's well, with the impressive Efteling Grand Hotel in the background.
Sung story
For the first time, a sung story will be heard in the Fairytale Forest of the Efteling. Many guests know the unforgettable voice of Wieteke van Dort, as in Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and The Six Swans. The Efteling asked the Flemish singer Geike Arnaert to sing a poetic song, to a subdued composition by René Merkelbach and a text by Merkelbach and Karel Willemen. On 16 May, the Efteling will release an EP with three songs, including on Spotify, including the sung story of the fairytale.
Private entrance
Chief designer Sander de Bruijn designed the romantic pavilion with the same style elements and design language as the large Efteling Grand Hotel, which serves as a grand decor. From this summer, hotel guests will even have their own entrance to the Fairytale Forest. The gate leads directly to the famous fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, which tells the story of a princess who can't fall asleep. The Fairytale Forest will thus have a third entrance.
The story
Once upon a time there was a prince who only wanted to marry a real princess. On a stormy night, in the pouring rain, a princess from a faraway land knocked on the palace door. The queen gave the dripping girl in the ragged dress, who said she was a real princess, a pea test. She hid a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty duvets. Only a real princess would be so sensitive that she would not be able to sleep because of the pea…
More information: www.efteling.com