The Old Woman in the Wood
A poor servant-girl was once traveling with the family with which
she was in service, through a great forest, and when they were in the midst of it, robbers
came out of the thicket, and murdered all they found. All perished together except the
girl, who had jumped out of the carriage in a fright, and hidden herself behind a tree.
When the robbers had gone away with their booty, she came out and beheld the great
disaster. Then she began to weep bitterly, and said, "What can a poor girl like me do
now? I do not know how to get out of the forest, no human being lives in it, so I must
certainly starve."
She walked about and looked for a road, but could find none. When it
was evening she seated herself under a tree, gave herself into God's keeping, and resolved
to sit waiting there and not go away, let happen what might. When she had sat there for a
while, a white dove came flying to her with a little golden key in its beak. It put the
little key in her hand, and said, "Do you see that great tree, therein is a little
lock, open it with the tiny key, and you will find food enough, and suffer no more
hunger."
Then she went to the tree and opened it, and found milk in a little
dish, and white bread to break into it, so that she could eat her fill. When she was
satisfied, she said, "It is now the time when the hens at home go to roost, I am so
tired I could go to bed too." Then the dove flew to her again, and brought another
golden key in its bill, and said, "Open that tree there, and you will find a
bed." So she opened it, and found a beautiful white bed, and she prayed God to
protect her during the night, and lay down and slept.
In the morning the dove came for the third time, and again brought a
little key, and said, "Open that tree there, and you will find clothes." And
when she opened it, she found garments beset with gold and with jewels, more splendid than
those of any king's daughter. So she lived there for some time, and the dove came every
day and provided her with all she needed, and it was a quiet good life.
Then one day the dove came and said, "Will you do something for
my sake?" "With all my heart," said the girl. Then said the little dove,
"I will guide you to a small house, enter it and inside it, an old woman will be
sitting by the fire and will say, 'good-day.' But on your life give her no answer, let her
do what she will, but pass by her on the right side. Further on, there is a door, which
open, and you will enter into a room where a quantity of rings of all kinds are lying,
amongst which are some magnificent ones with shining stones. Leave them, however, where
they are, and seek out a plain one, which must likewise be amongst them, and bring it here
to me as quickly as you can."
The girl went to the little house, and came to the door. There sat
an old woman who stared when she saw her, and said, "Good-day my child." The
girl gave her no answer, and opened the door. "Whither away?" cried the old
woman, and seized her by the gown, and wanted to hold her fast, saying, "That is my
house, no one can go in there if I choose not to allow it." But the girl was silent,
got away from her, and went straight into the room.
Now there lay on the table an enormous quantity of rings, which
gleamed and glittered before her eyes. She turned them over and looked for the plain one,
but could not find it. While she was seeking, she saw the old woman and how she was
stealing away, and wanting to go off with a bird-cage which she had in her hand. So she
went after her and took the cage out of her hand, and when she raised it up and looked
into it, a bird was inside which had the plain ring in its bill.
Then she took the ring, and ran quite joyously home with it, and
thought the little white dove would come and get the ring, but it did not. Then she leant
against a tree, determined to wait for the dove. As she thus stood, it seemed just as if
the tree was soft and pliant, and was letting its branches down. And suddenly the branches
twined around her, and were two arms, and when she looked around, the tree was a handsome
man, who embraced and kissed her heartily, and said, "You have delivered me from the
power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch. She had changed me into a tree, and every
day for two hours I was a white dove, and so long as she possessed the ring I could not
regain my human form." Then his servants and his horses, who had likewise been
changed into trees, were freed from the enchanter also, and stood beside him. And he led
them forth to his kingdom, for he was a king's son, and they married, and lived happily.
--The End-- |
