Stranica 154 [154]
OCR
* ASCHENPUT TEL " HERE was once a rich man whose wife lay sick, and when she felt her end drawing near she called to her only daughter to come near her bed, and said, “Dear child, be pious and good, and God will always take care of you, and I will look down upon you from heaven, and will be with you.” And then she closed her eyes and expired. ‘The maiden went every day to her mother’s grave and wept, and was always pious and good. When the winter came the snow covered the grave with a white covering, and when the sur came in the early spring and melted it away, the man took t himself another wife. The new wife brought two daughters home with her, anc they were beautiful and fair in appearance, but at heart wer black and ugly. And then began very evil times for the poo step-daughter. “Ts the stupid creature to sit in the same room with us? said they; "those who eat food must earn it. Out upon he for a kitchen-maid !” They took away her pretty dresses, and put on her an ol gray kirtle, and gave her wooden shoes to wear. “ Tust look now at the proud princess, how she is decke: out!” cried they laughing, and then they sent her into th kitchen. There she was obliged to do heavy work fror morning to night, get up early in the morning, draw wate:
