Line #3 Literature/TheDiscreetPrincess


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ladroite_princesse.jpg]]
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3	''L'Adroite Princesse ou les Aventures de Finette'' (''[[https://archive.org/details/fisherchapbook724 The Discreet princess, or The adventures of Finetta]]'' - Finette in other translations) is a 1696 French fairy tale by Marie-Jeanne L'Héritier de Villandon (1664-1734), Creator/CharlesPerrault's niece. The story tells of a king who went to fight in [[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades a Crusade]], leaving behind his three daughters, locked in a tower.
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5	The daughters are called (no real names are known) Nonchalante (Dronilla; the [[LazyBum lazy one]]), Babillarde ([[MotorMouth The Babbler]]; or Pratilla), and Finette. Each one is given a glass distaff which is enchanted to break apart as soon as the princess acts dishonorably.
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7	An evil prince from a neighboring country, called Riche-Cautèle (Rich-Craft), has a grudge against the royal family, so he decides to strike against them. And off he sets…
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9	----
10	!! Tropes found in ''The Discreet Princess'' include:
11	* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Nobody likes Rich-Craft except for his brother and father.
12	* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: Once the people learn Rich-Craft is dying and Bel-à-Voir shall inherit the throne.
13	* BerserkButton: Rich-Craft seems to care less about his injuries, and more about being outdone by Finette.
14	* {{Bowdlerise}}: One variant of the tale has the prince beating up the two older princesses instead of seducing them. This arguably makes the storyline so much worse, since while having a daughter effectively LockedAwayInAMonastery would still be somewhat understandable for a modern reader in case of seduction and pregnancy, doing the same for simply letting a man (dressed as a female beggar, no less) into the house would be too much even by 17th century standards.
15	* TheCasanova: Seducing two princesses in as many days.
16	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Rich-Craft attempts to kill Finette by putting her in a barrel filled with blades and rolling it down a mountain. [[spoiler:She manages to push him in instead.]]
17	* DisguisedInDrag: How Rich-Craft manages to get into the tower.
18	* DownTheDrain: How Finette gets rid of Rich-Craft the first time.
19	* TheEvilPrince: Rich-Craft.
20	* FaceDeathWithDignity: Finette plays the part when Rich-Craft intends to kill her. [[spoiler:It makes him so angry that he grows careless enough for her to turn the tables.]]
21	* GirlInTheTower: For their own good, in this case. Doesn't help that much.
22	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Rich-Craft intends to roll Finette down a mountain in a barrel full of blades. She pushes him in instead.]]
23	* LastRequest: Rich-Craft asks his brother [[spoiler:to marry Finette and kill her]]
24	* LazyBum: Dronilla.
25	* TheManBehindTheMan: Rich-Craft is the one behind his father.
26	* MotorMouth: Pratilla.
27	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Bel-à-Voir, once he [[spoiler:stabs Finette’s SleepingDummy]].
28	* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Not a single character’s real name is known.
29	* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Arranged by the villain, no less.
30	* PrinceCharming: Bel-à-Voir.
31	* ProperlyParanoid: Finette. In fact, that’s one of the two explicitely stated Aesops in the story.
32	* SleepingDummy: Finette uses one [[spoiler:suspecting (correctly) that Bel-à-Voir might have ulterior motives in the marriage.]]
33	* SweetPollyOliver: Finette, when [[spoiler:smuggling her nephews to their father]]
34	* TooDumbToLive: The two older princesses. Rich-Craft turns out to be one as well in the end, when turning his back on Finette [[spoiler:while inspecting a barrel full of blades which he intended to use to kill her.]]
35	* WackyCravings: Rich-Craft draws Finette out of the tower by leaving some fruit under the windows and knowing her sisters will beg her to get it.
36	* YoungestChildWins: Finette and Bel-à-Voir are both the younger children.

Context Literature / TheDiscreetPrincess