25. In the European fairy tale 'The Magic Swan', how does the hero use a swan to make a sad princess laugh?
From Quiz Yesterday I Saw a Swan
Answer:
He makes people get stuck to the swan and each other
This story is also known as 'Swan, Let It Stick!', and involves a magic swan, which a young man steals from its owner on the orders of an old woman, who tells him it will make his fortune. Whenever anyone admires the swan's feathers and asks to touch it, all he has to say is, "Swan, let it stick!" and they will be stuck to the swan. When other people try to free the people stuck to the swan, they become stuck to each other, and the hero walks through the streets with his swan and a parade of people stuck to its back and each other. The princess of the country has never smiled or laughed, but when she sees the ridiculous sight of the swan, she bursts out laughing and the king offers the hero her hand in marriage. Other versions of the tale, such as the Italian version collected by Italo Calvino, feature a goose.