Si las viejas murallas del castillo pudieran hablar, contarían esta historia.

The old castle walls could talk, they would tell this story.

La princesa Maleen vivía en una torre alta.

Princess Maleen lived in a tall tower.

Su padre, el rey, estaba muy enojado.

Her father, the king, was very angry.

No le gustaba el hombre con quien ella quería casarse.

He did not like the man she wanted to marry.

¡Te casarás con el príncipe que yo elija!

"You will marry the prince I choose!"

—dijo el rey.

said the king.

—No, padre.

"No, father."

"Amo a otra persona,"

"I love someone else,"

dijo Maleen. El rey se enfureció tanto.

said Maleen. The king was so mad.

Encerró a Maleen y a su amiga en un cuarto oscuro.

He put Maleen and her friend in a dark room.

Les dio pan y agua durante siete años.

He gave them bread and water for seven years.

Entonces cerró la puerta con llave.

Then he locked the door.

"En siete años, te arrepentirás,"

"In seven years, you will be sorry,"

dijo él.

he said.

Maleen y su amiga comían un poquito cada día.

Maleen and her friend ate a little bit each day.

Esperaron y esperaron.

They waited and waited.

Pasaron siete años.

Seven years passed.

Nadie vino.

No one came.

"Debemos salir,"

"We must get out,"

dijo Maleen. Cavaron y cavaron.

said Maleen. They dug and dug.

Hicieron un agujero en la pared.

They made a hole in the wall.

Salieron por él.

They climbed out.

El castillo estaba vacío.

The castle was empty.

Todos se habían ido.

Everyone was gone.

Las paredes estaban rotas.

The walls were broken.

La hierba crecía por todas partes.

Grass grew everywhere.

¿Qué pasó?

"What happened?"

preguntó Maleen. Caminaron hacia el siguiente reino.

asked Maleen. They walked to the next kingdom.

Maleen se veía muy sucia.

Maleen looked very dirty.

Su vestido estaba viejo y desgarrado.

Her dress was old and torn.

Nadie sabía que era una princesa.

No one knew she was a princess.

Encontraron trabajo en la cocina de un gran castillo.

They found work in the kitchen of a big castle.

Maleen lavaba los platos.

Maleen washed dishes.

Limpió los pisos.

She cleaned floors.

Un día, la cocinera dijo,

One day, the cook said,

"El príncipe se casará mañana."

"The prince will marry tomorrow."

Pero su novia es muy fea.

"But his bride is very ugly."

No sabe cocinar ni limpiar.

"She cannot cook or clean."

La novia escuchó esto.

The bride heard this.

Estaba preocupada.

She was worried.

"Tú,"

"You,"

le dijo a Maleen.

she said to Maleen.

"Eres hermosa."

"You are pretty."

"Ayúdame."

"Help me."

"Ve a la iglesia por mí."

"Go to the church for me."

"Ponte mi vestido."

"Wear my dress."

Nadie lo sabrá.

"No one will know."

Maleen se puso el hermoso vestido blanco.

Maleen put on the beautiful white dress.

Se dirigió a la iglesia.

She walked to the church.

El príncipe la esperaba allí.

The prince was waiting there.

La miró.

He looked at her.

"Eres tan hermosa,"

"You are so beautiful,"

dijo él.

he said.

"¿Pero por qué te ves triste?"

"But why do you look sad?"

Se casaron en la iglesia.

They got married in the church.

Pero no fue una boda real.

But it was not a real wedding.

Maleen le devolvió el vestido a la novia fea.

Maleen gave the dress back to the ugly bride.

El príncipe estaba confundido.

The prince was confused.

Su esposa se veía diferente ahora.

His wife looked different now.

Ya no era hermosa.

She was not pretty anymore.

Cada día, el príncipe le preguntaba a su esposa,

Every day, the prince asked his wife,

"¿Qué pensaste en la iglesia?"

"What did you think in the church?"

La novia fea no sabía qué decir.

The ugly bride did not know what to say.

Le preguntó a Maleen.

She asked Maleen.

"Dile esto,"

"Tell him this,"

dijo Maleen.

said Maleen.

"Pensé en mi padre que me encerró."

"I thought about my father who locked me away."

Esto ocurrió tres veces.

This happened three times.

La tercera vez, el príncipe siguió a la novia fea.

The third time, the prince followed the ugly bride.

La vio hablando con Maleen.

He saw her talking to Maleen.

¡Tú!

"You!"

dijo el príncipe a Maleen.

said the prince to Maleen.

"¡Tú estabas en la iglesia!"

"You were in the church!"

"¡Tú eres mi verdadera esposa!"

"You are my real wife!"

Maleen le contó todo.

Maleen told him everything.

El príncipe se sintió muy feliz.

The prince was very happy.

"Sabía que algo andaba mal,"

"I knew something was wrong,"

dijo.

he said.

"Te amo a ti, no a ella."

"I love you, not her."

Tuvieron una boda verdadera.

They had a real wedding.

Todo el reino vino a celebrar.

Everyone in the kingdom came to celebrate.

Maleen se convirtió en una verdadera princesa otra vez.

Maleen became a real princess again.

La novia fea huyó.

The ugly bride ran away.

Nunca más se la volvió a ver.

She was never seen again.

Maleen y el príncipe vivieron felices para siempre.

Maleen and the prince lived happily ever after.