Stranica 159 [159]
ASCHENPUTTEL. 123
(c Little tree, little tree, shake over me,
That silver and gold may come down and cover me.”
Then the bird cast down a dress, the like of which had
never been seen for splendour and brilliancy, and slippers that
were of gold.
And when she appeared in this dress at the feast nobody
knew what to say for wonderment. The prince danced with
her alone, and if any one else asked her he answered,
‘She is my partner.”
And when it was evening Aschenputtel wanted to go home,
and the prince was about to go with her, when she ran past
him so quickly that he could not follow her. But he had laid
a plan, and had caused all the steps to be spread with pitch,
so that as she rushed down them the left shoe of the maiden
remained sticking init. ‘The prince picked it up, and saw that
it was of gold, and very small and slender. ‘The next morning
he went to the father and told him that none should be his
bride save the one whose foot the golden shoe should fit.
Then the two sisters were very glad, because they had pretty
feet. ‘The eldest went to her room to try on the shoe, and her
mother stood by. But she could not get her great toe into it,
for the shoe was too small; then her mother handed her a
knife, and said,
“Cut the toe off, for when you are queen you will never
have to go on foot.” So the girl cut her toe off, squeezed her
foot into the shoe, concealed the pain, and went down to the
prince. ‘Then he took her with him on his horse as his bride,
and rode off. ‘They had to pass by the grave, and there sat
the two pigeons on the hazel bush, and cried,
‘* There they go, there they go !
There is blood on her shoe ;
The shoe is too small,
—Not the right bride at all!”
Then the prince looked at her shoe, and saw the blood
flowing. And he turned his horse round and took the false
bride home again, saying she was not the right one, and that the
other sister must try on the shoe. So she went into her room
to do so, and got her toes comfortably in, but her heel was too
large. ‘Then her mother handed her the knife, saying, "Cut a