The Miser in the Bush · page 21 2101The next day when the feast was again held, and her father, mother, and sisters were gone, Ashputtel went to the hazel-tree, and said:102‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, Gold and silver over me!’103And the bird came and brought a still finer dress than the one she had worn the day before.104And when she came in it to the ball, everyone wondered at her beauty: but the king’s son, who was waiting for her, took her by the hand, and danced with her; and when anyone asked her to dance, he said as before, ‘This lady is dancing with me.’105When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son followed here as before, that he might see into what house she went: but she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father’s house.106In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree full of ripe fruit; and Ashputtel, not knowing where to hide herself, jumped up into it without being seen.107Then the king’s son lost sight of her, and could not find out where she was gone, but waited till her father came home, and said to him, ‘The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away, and I think she must have sprung into the pear-tree.’108The father thought to himself, ‘Can it be Ashputtel?’109So he had an axe brought; and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it.110And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Ashputtel among the ashes; for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put on her little grey frock.111The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she went again into the garden, and said:112‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, Gold and silver over me!’113Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold: so that when she came to the feast no one knew what to say, for wonder at her beauty: and the king’s son danced with nobody but her; and when anyone else asked her to dance, he said, ‘This lady is _my_ partner, sir.’114When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son would go with her, and said to himself, ‘I will not lose her this time’; but, however, she again slipped away from him, though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs.115The prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king his father, and said, ‘I will take for my wife the lady that this golden slipper fits.’116Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear it; for they had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the golden slipper.117The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was, and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by.118But her great toe could not go into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small for her.119Then the mother gave her a knife, and said, ‘Never mind, cut it off; when you are queen you will not care about toes; you will not want to walk.’120So the silly girl cut off her great toe, and thus squeezed on the shoe, and went to the king’s son.121Then he took her for his bride, and set her beside him on his horse, and rode away with her homewards.122But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree that Ashputtel had planted; and on the branch sat a little dove singing:123‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe!124The shoe is too small, and not made for you!125Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’126Then the prince got down and looked at her foot; and he saw, by the blood that streamed from it, what a trick she had played him.127So he turned his horse round, and brought the false bride back to her home, and said, ‘This is not the right bride; let the other sister try and put on the slipper.’128Then she went into the room and got her foot into the shoe, all but the heel, which was too large.129But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came, and took her to the king’s son: and he set her as his bride by his side on his horse, and rode away with her.130But when they came to the hazel-tree the little dove sat there still, and sang:131‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe!132The shoe is too small, and not made for you!133Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’134Then he looked down, and saw that the blood streamed so much from the shoe, that her white stockings were quite red.135So he turned his horse and brought her also back again.136‘This is not the true bride,’ said he to the father; ‘have you no other daughters?’137‘No,’ said he; ‘there is only a little dirty Ashputtel here, the child of my first wife; I am sure she cannot be the bride.’138The prince told him to send her.139But the mother said, ‘No, no, she is much too dirty; she will not dare to show herself.’140However, the prince would have her come; and she first washed her face and hands, and then went in and curtsied to him, and he reached her the golden slipper.141Then she took her clumsy shoe off her left foot, and put on the golden slipper; and it fitted her as if it had been made for her.142And when he drew near and looked at her face he knew her, and said, ‘This is the right bride.’143But the mother and both the sisters were frightened, and turned pale with anger as he took Ashputtel on his horse, and rode away with her.144And when they came to the hazel-tree, the white dove sang:145‘Home! home! look at the shoe!146Princess! the shoe was made for you!147Prince! prince! take home thy bride, For she is the true one that sits by thy side!’148And when the dove had done its song, it came flying, and perched upon her right shoulder, and so went home with her.1 2← previousClever Elsienext →The White Snake↑ back to Grimms' Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2591/33/page/2/