There was once a widow who had two daughters. The elder was so like
her mother in temper and face, that to have seen the one was to have
seen the other. They were both so disagreeable and proud, that it was
impossible to live with them. The younger, who was the exact portrait
of her father in her kindly and polite ways was also as beautiful a
girl as one could see. As we are naturally fond of those who resemble
us, the mother doted on her elder daughter, while for the younger she
had a most violent aversion, and made her take her meals in the kitchen
and work hard all day. Among other things that she was obliged to do,
this poor child was forced to go twice a day to fetch water from a
place a mile or more from the house, and carry back a large jug filled
to the brim. As she was standing one day by this spring, a poor woman
came up to her, and asked the girl to give her some water to drink.
“Certainly, my good woman,” she replied, and the beautiful girl at
once stooped and rinsed out the jug, and then, filling it with water
from the clearest part of the spring, she held it up to the woman,
continuing to support the jug, that she might drink with greater
comfort. Having drunk, the woman said to her, “You are so beautiful, so
good and kind, that I cannot refrain from conferring a gift upon you,”
for she was really a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor village
woman, in order to see how far the girl’s kindheartedness would go.
“This gift I make you,” continued the fairy, “that with every word you
speak, either a flower or a precious stone will fall from your mouth.”
The girl had no sooner reached home than her mother began scolding
her for being back so late. “I am sorry, mother,” said she, “to have
been out so long,” and as she spoke, there fell from her mouth two
roses, two pearls, and two large diamonds. The mother gazed at her in
astonishment. “What do I see!” she exclaimed, “pearls and diamonds seem
to be dropping from her mouth! How is this, my daughter?”--it was the
first time she had called her _daughter_. The poor child related in all
simplicity what had happened, letting fall quantities of diamonds in
the course of her narrative. “I must certainly send my other daughter
there,” said the mother. “Look, Fanchon, see what falls from your
sister’s mouth when she speaks! Would you not be glad to receive a
similar gift? All you have to do, is to go and fetch water from the
spring, and if an old woman asks you for some to drink, to give it
her nicely and politely.” “I should like to see myself going to the
spring,” answered the rude, cross girl.
“I insist on your going,” rejoined the mother, “and that at once.”
The elder girl went off, still grumbling; with her she took the
handsomest silver bottle she could find in the house.
She had no sooner arrived at the spring, than she saw a lady
magnificently dressed walking towards her from the wood, who approached
and asked for some water to drink. It was the same fairy who had
appeared to the sister, but she had now put on the airs and apparel of
a princess, as she wished to see how far this girl’s rudeness would go.
“Do you think I came here just to draw water for you?” answered the
arrogant and unmannerly girl; “I have, of course, brought this silver
bottle on purpose for madam to drink from! Well, all I have to say
is--drink from it if you like.”
[Illustration: How is this my daughter]
“You are scarcely polite,” said the fairy, without losing her temper;
“however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that
with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your
mouth.”
Directly her mother caught sight of her, she called out, “Well, my
daughter!” “Well, my mother!” replied the ill-tempered girl, throwing
out as she spoke two vipers and two toads. “Alack!” cried the mother,
“what do I see? This is her sister’s doing, but I will pay her out
for it,” and, so saying, she ran towards the younger girl with intent
to beat her. The unhappy girl fled from the house, and went and hid
herself in a neighbouring forest. The King’s son, who was returning
from hunting, met her, and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what
she was doing there all alone, and why she was crying. “Alas! sir,
my mother has driven me from home.” The King’s son, seeing five or
six pearls and as many diamonds, falling from her mouth as she spoke,
asked her to explain how this was, and she told him all her tale. The
King’s son fell in love with her, and thinking that such a gift as she
possessed was worth more than any ordinary dower brought by another, he
carried her off to his father’s palace, and there married her.
[Illustration: Tailpiece]
As for her sister, she made herself so hated, that her own mother
drove her from the house. The miserable girl, having gone about in
vain trying to find someone who would take her in, crept away into the
corner of a wood, and there died.
Of higher worth are gentle words
Than diamonds or gold,
And even o’er the minds of men
A greater power they hold.
It costs some pains to be polite,
And needs some kindly thought,
But soon or late, as here you see,
Reward will come unsought.
* * * * *
“I hope that Quick was short enough,” said Titania, laughingly, and
then turning to Pink said “and yours?”
“Will be shorter still, your Majesty,” promptly answered Pink, stepping
to the stool directly Quick had left it, and beginning at once the
story of
[Illustration: Pink]
[Illustration: They put the cake into the oven]
[Illustration: St Dolly slept on a flour sack]