Toads And Diamonds

Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters. The eldest looked so much like her mother, both in face and in temper, that whoever saw the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable and so proud that nobody could stand to live with them.

The youngest daughter, on the other hand, was the very picture of her father – polite, sweet-tempered, and one of the most beautiful girls you could ever see. But people naturally love those who are like themselves, so the mother adored her eldest daughter and had a terrible hatred for the youngest. She made her eat in the kitchen and work all the time.

Among other chores, this poor child was forced to go twice a day to a fountain more than a mile and a half from the house, and bring back a full pitcher of water. One day, as she was at the fountain, a poor woman came up to her and asked for a drink.

“Oh, yes, with all my heart, good woman,” said the pretty little girl. She rinsed the pitcher right away, scooped water from the clearest part of the fountain, and held the pitcher up so the woman could drink easily.

After the woman had drunk, she said: “You are so pretty, my dear, so good and so polite, that I cannot help giving you a gift.” For this was a fairy who had taken the form of a poor country woman to see how kind and well-mannered this pretty girl really was. “I will give you a gift,” continued the fairy. “From now on, at every word you speak, a flower or a jewel shall come out of your mouth.”

When the pretty girl came home, her mother scolded her for staying so long at the fountain.

“I beg your pardon, Mamma,” said the poor girl, “for not making more haste.”

And as she spoke these words, out came two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds.

“What is that I see?” said the mother, quite astonished. “I think I see pearls and diamonds coming out of the girl’s mouth! How does this happen, child?” This was the first time she had ever called her child.

The poor girl told her everything, not without dropping countless diamonds.

“In truth,” cried the mother, “I must send my child there. Come here, Fanny. Look what comes out of your sister’s mouth when she speaks. Wouldn’t you like, my dear, to have the same gift given to you? All you have to do is go and draw water from the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks you for a drink, give it to her very politely.”

“That would be a fine sight indeed,” said this rude girl, “to see me go draw water.”

“You will go, you wretch!” said the mother. “And this minute.”

So off she went, but grumbling the whole way, taking with her the best silver tankard in the house.

She had no sooner reached the fountain than she saw a lady in beautiful clothes coming out of the woods. The lady came up to her and asked for a drink. This, you must know, was the very same fairy who had appeared to her sister, but now she had taken the look and dress of a princess to see how rude this girl would be.

“Have I come here,” said the proud, saucy girl, “to serve you water, I suppose? The silver tankard was brought just for you, was it? But you may drink from it if you like.”

“You are not very polite,” answered the fairy, without getting angry. “Well then, since you have so little manners and are so disobliging, I give you a gift: at every word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad.”

As soon as her mother saw her coming, she cried out: “Well, daughter?”

“Well, mother?” answered the rude girl, and out of her mouth came two vipers and two toads.

“Oh, mercy!” cried the mother. “What do I see? Oh, it is that wretched sister of yours who caused all this! But she shall pay for it.” And she ran to beat her. The poor child fled from her and went to hide in the forest not far away.

The King’s son, returning from hunting, met her. Seeing how beautiful she was, he asked her what she was doing there alone and why she was crying.

“Alas, sir,” she said, “my mother has thrown me out of the house.”

The King’s son saw five or six pearls and as many diamonds come out of her mouth. He asked her to tell him how that happened. She told him the whole story, and the King’s son fell in love with her. He thought that such a gift was worth more than any marriage portion, and he took her to the palace of his father the King and married her.

As for the sister, she made herself so hated that even her own mother turned her away. And the miserable wretch wandered about for a long time without finding anyone to take her in, until she went to a corner of the wood and died there.