The Orange Fairy Book

er all that she cried for, so she grew up to be as cross and disagreeable as she was ugly. Her stepsister, on the other hand, had spent her childhood in working hard to

and was always on the watch for some pretext for beating her, or depriving her of her food. Anything, however foolish, was good enough

said she, ‘for the one whose thread bre

uff, which no one would have thought of using. As might be expected, in a very little while the poor girl’s thread snapped, and

said. But she was wrong, fo

native mountains. Trees waved in the soft breeze, and flowers of the brightest colours danced in the grass. And though she was quite alone, the girl’s heart danced too, for she felt happier than she had since her father died. So

ed about for a place where she might safely cross. B

en; I am so old, so old, I h

maiden a

seeing a spot where the clematis grew less thick

thee,’ said the fence,

een two flowery hedges. Right in front of her stood an oven, a

ar nothing, for she never hurt anything, and was very grateful for the oven’s kindness in giving her such a beaut

thee,’ said the oven,

nd seeing a cow with a milk-pail han

cried the cow, ‘but be sure you spill none on the grou

down and milked till the pail was nearly full. Then s

on my horns again,’ said the cow. And the girl did as she w

e the girl had fallen down the

denly she saw before her a gate which she had not not

he girl politely; and

hat everyone was as polite as yo

e,’ replied the girl; and

omb my hair, and you shall tell

l. And she began combing out the old

in this way, and the

me, I will show you where you may take service

farm at a little distance, where she was

the cow-house, and strewed clean straw upon the floor. The cows were so pleased with the care she took of them that they stood quite still while she milked them, and did not play any of the tricks on her that they had played on

rsty, please giv

the dairy, followed by all the cats, and gave each one a little red saucerful. But befo

sift the corn through a sieve. While she was busy rubbing the corn she

corn! give us some corn!’ cri

tered a fine handful over the floor. When they had finished they

igher wages, and treated her like her own daughter. At length, one day, the girl was bidden by her mistress to come into the kitchen, and when there, the old woman said to her: ‘I know yo

own to the well with it. Stopping over the side, she filled it to the brim, but as soon as she lifted it the water all ran out of the holes. Again and

ittered; and the girl l

nd she ran back to the kitchen and filled her sieve with ashes. Then once more she di

ried the girl, going to the room

someone helped you who is skilled in magic.’ But the girl k

nt about her work as usual, but at length

ust do is to wash them in the river till the black one becomes white and the white black.’ And the girl to

in despair when there came a rush of wings through the air, and on eve

ood facing the east and dipped it in the river, and in an instant it grew white as snow, then turning to the west, she held the white yarn in the water, and

voice she asked the girl what magician had helped her to do what no one had done before.

ual. She hoped that there was an end to the difficult tasks which had been set her; but in this

ft in peace for evermore. Here are the yarns which you washed. Take them and weave them into a

ht the girl, who was a good spinner. But when she began

d against the loom and wept; but at that instant the door open

ir maiden?’ asked they.

of cloth, which must be finished by sunset, and I have not

d so skilfully that in a very short time the cloth was ready and was as fine as any king ever wore. The girl was so delighted

ands twice or thrice over the cloth and could find no roughness anywhere. But the

w up, she was free to return home, but that, for her part, the girl had served her so well that s

I have left behind me a stepsister and a stepmother, and I am fain to be with

ow into the loft above the store house and there you will find many caskets. Choose the one which please

h was filled with caskets big and little, plain and splendid. She lifted up one and looked at it, and then put it down to examine another yet more beautiful. Which should she choose, the yellow o

eir cry she peered into several corners that had remained unnoticed, and at length discove

. And the old woman smiled and nodded, and bade her go her way. So the girl set forth, after b

uddenly, something happened, she never knew what, but she was sitting on the w

if they had been turned into stone; b

ar past?’ Then the girl told how she had taken service in the under-world, and, beside her w

ied the woman, beside herself with rage, and the girl, quite frightened a

rl had fallen down the well; but she scrubbed and swept till everything was cle

ack box could have held such a quantity of beautiful things! Rings, crowns, girdles, necklaces — all made of wonderful stones; and they shone with such brilliance that not only the stepmother and her daughter but all the people round came running to

d perhaps a still richer one. So she bade her own daughter sit on the edge of the well, and threw her into the

ely, and tore up some of the stakes so that she might get over the more easily; when the oven offered her bread, she scattered the loaves onto the ground and stamped on them; and after she had milked th

the old woman was leaning against the gate-

rs in your country

rry,’ answered the girl. ‘It is gett

ttle,’ said the old woman, ‘and

ming the gate in the crone’s face she went her way. And she never heard the

and beaten, so that they kicked over the pail, and tried to butt her; and everyone said they had never seen such thin cows or such poor milk. As for the cats, she chased them away, and ill-treated them, so that they had not even the spirit to chase the rats

r, when, one day, the mistr

ou cannot tend cows, or divide the grain from the chaff, there may be other things that you can do better. There

r had done; but no little birds came to help her, and after dip

oman angrily; ‘she that is useless

for her again, and gave her maid the black and white yarn to wash in the river; but there was no one to tell her the secret by which the black would turn white, and the white bl

d the yarn was given her to spin, as it h

a web of fine cloth, and at sunset she only brought

rld you can do,’ said the old

d the girl went to her mistress to

t. Still, I will give you some payment, therefore go up into the loft, and choose for yourself one of t

d woman, she ran as fast as she could to the loft. There were the caskets, blue and red, green and yellow, silve

will hold twice the number,’ she said to herself; and snatching it up she

!’ cried she, as she entered the cott

,’ answered the old woman with delight. But the girl was so busy find

one piece of furniture and then on another. ‘No, after all it is

hey opened the box. As before, a bright light leapt out directly the lid was raised, but it did not spring from the lustre of jewels,

hat was the matter; but they were too late. Only the hen-house was left standing; and

ule-Tide Stories