Stranica 155 [155]
ASCHENPUTTEL. 119
make the fires, cook, and wash. Besides that, the sisters did
their utmost to torment her,—mocking her, and strewing peas
and lentils among the ashes, and setting her to pick them up.
In the evenings, when she was quite tired out with her hard
day’s work, she had no bed to lie on, but was obliged to rest
on the hearth among the cinders. And as she always looked
dusty and dirty, they named her Aschenputtel.
It happened one day that the father went to the fair, and
he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for
them.
“Fine clothes !” said one.
‘Pearls and jewels !” said the other.
“But what will you have, Aschenputtel?” said he.
“The first twig, father, that strikes against your hat on the
way home ; that is what I should like you to bring me.”
So he bought for the two step-daughters fine clothes,
pearls, and jewels, and on his way back, as he rode through a
green lane, a hazel-twig struck against his hat; and he broke
there, weeping so bitterly that the tears fell upon it and
puttel went to see it three times a day, and wept and prayed,
wished for.
Now it came to pass that the king ordained a festival that
women of that country were bidden, so that the king’s son
“Comb our hair, brush our shoes, and make our buckles
Aschenputtel, when she heard this, could not help crying,
her step-mother to allow her.
“What, you Aschenputtel!" said she, “in all your dust