Here are the twelve dancing princesses, who drove the Old King to distraction by wearing through their slippers every night. (Which sounds like something he could have made less fuss about, until you do the maths: well over four thousand pairs of slippers a year. Satin slippers too!)

Things Were Different in Those Days is an imaginative retelling of the classic fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Originally featured in Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, this short story is sure to capture the imagination!

From the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize-winning storyteller Hilary McKay and featuring black-and-white line and tone illustrations from the talented Sarah Gibb.