045-第1节

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daughters；　one　ugly　and　wicked；　and　this　one　she　loved　because　she
was　her　own　daughter；　and　one　beautiful　and　good；　and　this　one　she
hated；　because　she　was　her　step…daughter。　　The　step…daughter　once　had
a　pretty　apron；　which　the　other　fancied　so　much　that　she　became
envious；　and　told　her　mother　that　she　must　and　would　have　that　apron。
Be　quiet；　my　child；　said　the　old　woman；　and　you　shall　have　it。　　Your
step…sister　has　long　deserved　death；　to…night　when　she　is　asleep　I
will　come　and　cut　her　head　off。　　Only　be　careful　that　you　are　at　the
far…side　of　the　bed；　and　push　her　well　to　the　front。　It　would　have
been　all　over　with　the　poor　girl　if　she　had　not　just　then　been
standing　in　a　corner；　and　heard　everything。

All　day　long　she　dared　not　go　out　of　doors；　and　when　bed…time　had
come；　the　witch's　daughter　got　into　bed　first；　so　as　to　lie　at　the
far　side；　but　when　she　was　asleep；　the　other　pushed　her　gently　to　the
front；　and　took　for　herself　the　place　at　the　back；　close　by　the　wall。
In　the　night；　the　old　woman　came　creeping　in；　she　held　an　axe　in　her
right　hand；　and　felt　with　her　left　to　see　if　anyone　were　lying　at　the
outside；　and　then　she　grasped　the　axe　with　both　hands；　and　cut　her
own　child's　head　off。

When　she　had　gone　away；　the　girl　got　up　and　went　to　her　sweetheart；
who　was　called　roland；　and　knocked　at　his　door。　　When　he　came　out；
she　said　to　him；　listen；　dearest　roland；　we　must　fly　in　all　haste。
My　step…mother　wanted　to　kill　me；　but　has　struck　her　own　child。　　When
daylight　comes；　and　she　sees　what　she　has　done；　we　shall　be　lost。
But；　said　roland；　I　counsel　you　first　to　take　away　her　magic　wand；　or
we　cannot　escape　if　she　pursues　us。　　The　maiden　fetched　the　magic
wand；　and　she　took　the　dead　girl's　head　and　dropped　three　drops　of
blood　on　the　ground；　one　in　front　of　the　bed；　one　in　the　kitchen；　and
one　on　the　stairs。　Then　she　hurried　away　with　her　lover。

When　the　old　witch　got　up　next　morning；　she　called　her　daughter；　and
wanted　to　give　her　the　apron；　but　she　did　not　come。　　Then　the　witch
cried；　where　are　you。　　Here；　on　the　stairs；　I　am　sweeping；　answered
the　first　drop　of　blood。　　The　old　woman　went　out；　but　saw　no　one　on
the　stairs；　and　cried　again；　where　are　you。　　Here　in　the　kitchen；　I
am　warming　myself；　cried　the　second　drop　of　blood。　　She　went　into　the
kitchen；　but　found　no　one。　　Then　she　cried　again；　where　are　you。　　Ah；
here　in　the　bed；　I　am　sleeping；　cried　the　third　drop　of　blood。　　She
went　into　the　room　to　the　bed。　　What　did　she　see　there。　　Her　own
child；　whose　head　she　had　cut　off；　bathed　in　her　blood。

The　witch　fell　into　a　passion；　sprang　to　the　window；　and　as　she　could
look　forth　quite　far　into　the　world；　she　perceived　her　step…daughter
hurrying　away　with　her　sweetheart　roland。　　That　shall　not　help　you；
cried　she；　even　if　you　have　got　a　long　way　off；　you　shall　still　not
escape　me。　　She　put　on　her　many　league　boots；　in　which　she　covered　an
hour's　walk　at　every　step；　and　it　was　not　long　before　she　overtook
them。　　The　girl；　however；　when　she　saw　the　old　woman　striding　towards
her；　changed；　with　her　magic　wand；　her　sweetheart　roland　into　a　lake；
and　herself　into　a　duck　swimming　in　the　middle　of　it。

　The　witch　placed　herself　on　the　shore；　threw　bread…crumbs　in；　and
went　to　endless　trouble　to　entice　the　duck；　but　the　duck　did　not　let
herself　be　enticed；　and　the　old　woman　had　to　go　home　at　night　as　she
had　come。　　At　this　the　girl　and　her　sweetheart　roland　resumed　their
natural　shapes　again；　and　they　walked　on　the　whole　night　until
daybreak。　　Then　the　maiden　changed　herself　into　a　beautiful　flower
which　stood　in　the　midst　of　a　briar　hedge；　and　her　sweetheart　roland
into　a　fiddler。　　It　was　not　long　before　the　witch　came　striding　up
towards　them；　and　said　to　the　musician；　dear　musician；　may　I　pluck
that　beautiful　flower　for　myself。

Oh；　yes；　he　replied；　I　will　play　to　you　while　you　do　it。　　As　she　was
hastily　creeping　into　the　hedge　and　was　just　going　to　pluck　the
flower；　knowing　perfectly　well　who　the　flower　was；　he　began　to　play；
and　whether　she　would　or　not；　she　was　forced　to　dance；　for　it　was　a
magical　dance。　　The　faster　he　played；　the　more　violent　springs　was
she　forced　to　make；　and　the　thorns　tore　her　clothes　from　her　body；
and　pricked　her　and　wounded　her　till　she　bled；　and　as　he　did　not
stop；　she　had　to　dance　till　she　lay　dead　on　the　ground。

As　they　were　now　set　free；　roland　said；　now　I　will　go　to　my　father
and　arrange　for　the　wedding。　　Then　in　the　meantime　I　will　stay　here
and　wait　for　you；　said　the　girl；　and　that　no　one　may　recognize　me；　I
will　change　myself　into　a　red　stone　land…mark。

Then　roland　went　away；　and　the　girl　stood　like　a　red　land…mark　in　the
field　and　waited　for　her　beloved。　　But　when　roland　got　home；　he　fell
into　the　snares　of　another；　who　so　fascinated　him　that　he　forgot　the
maiden。　　The　poor　girl　remained　there　a　long　time；　but　at　length；　as
he　did　not　return　at　all；　she　was　sad；　and　changed　herself　into　a
flower；　and　thought；　someone　will　surely　come　this　way；　and　trample
me　down。

It　befell；　however；　that　a　shepherd　kept　his　sheep　in　the　field；　and
saw　the　flower；　and　as　it　was　so　pretty；　plucked　it；　took　it　with
him；　and　laid　it　away　in　his　chest。　　From　that　time　forth；　strange
things　happened　in　the　shepherd's　house。　　When　he　arose　in　the
morning　all　the　work　was　already　done；　the　room　was　swept；　the　table
and　benches　cleaned；　the　fire　on　the　hearth　was　lighted；　and　the
water　was　fetched；　and　at　noon；　when　he　came　home；　the　table　was
laid；　and　a　good　dinner　served。　　He　could　not　conceive　how　this　came
to　pass；　for　he　never　saw　a　human　being　in　his　house；　and　no　one
could　have　concealed　himself　in　it。

He　was　certainly　pleased　with　this　good　attendance；　but　still　at　last
he　was　so　afraid　that　he　went　to　a　wise　woman　and　asked　for　her
advice。　　The　wise　woman　said；　there　is　some　enchantment　behind　it；
listen　very　early　some　morning　if　anything　is　moving　in　the　room；　and
if　you　see　anything；　no　matter　what　it　is；　throw　a　white　cloth　over
it；　and　then　the　magic　will　be　stopped。

The　shepherd　did　as　she　bade　him；　and　next　morning　just　as　day
dawned；　he　saw　the　chest　open；　and　the　flower　come　out。　　Swiftly　he
sprang　towards　it；　and　threw　a　white　cloth　over　it。　　Instantly　the
transformation　came　to　an　end；　and　a　beautiful　girl　stood　before　him；
who　admitted　to　him　that　she　had　been　the　flower；　and　that　up　to　this
time　she　had　attended　to　his　housekeeping。　　She　told　him　her　story；
and　as　she　pleased　him　he　asked　her　if　she　would　marry　him；　but　she
answered；　no；　for　she　wanted　to　remain　faithful　to　her　sweetheart
roland；　although　he　had　deserted　her。　Nevertheless；　she　promised　not
to　go　away；　but　to　continue　keeping　house　for　the　shepherd。

And　now　the　time　drew　near　when　roland's　wedding　was　to　be
celebrated；　and　then；　according　to　an　old　custom　in　the　country；　it
was　announced　that　all　the　girls　were　to　be　present　at　it；　and　sing
in　honor　of　the　bridal　pair。　　When　the　faithful　maiden　heard　of　this；
she　grew　so　sad　that　she　thought　her　heart　would　break；　and　she　would
not　go　thither；　but　the　other　girls　came　and　took　her。　　When　it　came
to　her　turn　to　sing；　she　stepped　back；　until　at　last　she　was　the　only
one　left；　and　then　she　could　not　refuse。

But　when　she　began　her　song；　and　it　reached　roland's　ears；　he　sprang
up　and　cried；　I　know　the　voice；　that　is　the　true　bride；　I　will　have
no　other。　　Everything　he　had　forgotten；　and　which　had　vanished　from
his　mind；　had　suddenly　come　home　again　to　his　heart。　　Then　the
faithful　maiden　held　her　wedding　with　her　sweetheart　roland；　and
grief　came　to　an　end　and　joy　began。