Donkey Skin (re-release) 2004

The king makes a solemn vow to his dying queen that he will only choose to marry a woman who is as beautiful and virtuous as she was. However, faced with pressure from his advisers to remarry and secure an heir, he reluctantly concludes that the only way to honor his promise is to marry his own daughter, the princess. Under the guidance of her godmother, the lilac fairy, the princess cleverly requests a series of seemingly impossible wedding gifts in hopes of dissuading her father from this incestuous plan.

To everyone’s surprise, the king manages to meet her extravagant demands, providing her dresses that change color with the weather, mimic the glow of the moon, and shine as brightly as the sun. He even presents her with the skin of a magical donkey, which produces wealth in the form of jewels. To escape her father’s intentions, the princess dons the skin of the enchanted donkey and flees the kingdom.

Now living as Donkey Skin, she finds work as a lowly pig keeper in a nearby kingdom. There, the prince spies her from a distance and becomes smitten with her beauty. Love-stricken, he retreats to his bed, claiming illness, and requests that Donkey Skin bake him a special cake to restore his health. Inside the cake, the princess secretly places a ring, signifying her feelings for him.

Upon discovering the ring, the prince exclaims that he will marry the woman whose finger it perfectly fits. This leads to all eligible women gathering at the royal castle to try on the ring, presenting themselves in order of their social standing. Finally, it is the turn of the unassuming Donkey Skin, who, to everyone’s astonishment, reveals herself as the princess when the ring fits her finger flawlessly.

The story culminates in a grand wedding between the prince and the princess, attended by the lilac fairy and the king, who arrive in a helicopter announcing that they, too, are set to marry, illustrating just how unexpected and whimsical true love can be.