Prevod
Nekoč je živela vdova, ki je imela dve hčeri. Starejša je bila čemerna in grda, toda mati jo je imela neizmerno rada, ker ji je bila na las podobna, pa tudi zato, ker je bila njena prava hči. Mlajša je bila le njena pastorka, in zato, pa tudi zato, ker je bila dobra in lepa, jo je mati sovražila ter se na vse pretege trudila, da bi ji grenila življenje.
Nekega dne je dobra hči sedela ob vodnjaku in predla. Med predenjem je jokala, ker je bila tako nesrečna. Solze so ji zameglile oči, in kmalu se je zbodla v prst, tako da je kaplja krvi padla na lan. Deklica se je prestrašila, saj se je bala, da jo bo mačeha oštela, ko bo zagledala okrvavljeni lan. Zato se je sklonila čez rob vodnjaka, da bi z njega sprala kri. Toda vreteno ji je zdrsnilo iz roke in se pogrezalo vse globlje skozi vodo, dokler ji ni izginilo izpred oči.
Zdaj je bilo še huje. Deklica ni vedela, kaj ji bo mačeha storila, ko bo izvedela, da je izgubila vreteno v vodnjaku. Vendar ji ni preostalo drugega, kakor da vse prizna.
Vdova se je res strašno razjezila. »Ničvrednica!« je zavpila. »Samo nadlogo mi delaš! Izpred mojih oči, in nikar se ne drzni vrniti, dokler ne prineseš vretena s seboj!« Nato je deklico sunila tako močno, da je skoraj padla.
Deklica je bila tako prestrašena in nesrečna, da je stekla skozi vrata in brez pomisleka skočila v vodnjak. Pogrezala se je vse globlje skozi vodo, prav kakor prej vreteno, in ko je dosegla dno, se je znašla na prostranem zelenem travniku, čez katerega je vodila pot.
Deklica se je odpravila po poti in kmalu prišla do krušne peči, ki je stala ob njej in bila polna kruha. Hotela je iti mimo, toda hlebci v peči so ji zaklicali: »Vzemi nas ven! Vzemi nas ven! Če ostanemo še kaj dlje v peči, se bomo zažgali.«
Presenetilo jo je, da kruh govori, vendar je odprla vratca, pobrala hlebce iz peči in jih lepo postavila pokonci, da bi se ohladili. Nato je šla naprej.
Malo zatem je prišla do jablane. Bila je tako obložena s sadjem, da so se veje upogibale pod njegovo težo. »Potresi me! Potresi me!« je zaklicala jablana. »Moja jabolka so zrela in veje se mi bodo polomile pod njihovo težo.«
Deklica je tresla jablano, dokler niso jabolka kakor dež popadala okoli nje. Lepo jih je zložila na kup ob drevesu in nadaljevala pot. Čez nekaj časa je prišla do hišice, iz katere je skozi okno gledala grda starka z dolgimi rumenimi zobmi. Deklica se je prestrašila njenega videza in se že hotela obrniti, toda starka ji je zaklicala: »Nikar se ne boj. Nič hudega ti ne bom storila. Potrebujem služabnico. Pridi noter, in če mi boš zvesto služila, te bom bogato nagradila.«
Deklice ni bilo več strah. Odprla je vrata in vstopila. Starka jo je odpeljala v zgornje nadstropje in ji pokazala veliko posteljo s pernico. »Jaz sem mati Hulda,« je rekla. »Jaz pošiljam mraz in sneg po svetu. Vsak dan moraš mojo pernico dobro stepsti. Kadar perje leti naokrog, na zemlji sneži.«
Deklica je pri materi Huldi ostala mnogo mesecev. Vsak dan je tako temeljito stepala pernico, da je perje letelo na vse strani, in tisto leto je zapadlo veliko snega. Mati Hulda je bila z njo zelo zadovoljna. Bila je prijazna do nje, deklica je imela najboljše hrane, kolikor si je je poželela, in udobno posteljo za spanje. A ko se je zima iztekla, je kljub vsemu postajala žalostna in potrta. Hrepenela je po domu ter si želela spet videti mater in sestro, čeprav sta bili do nje neprijazni.
»Vidim, da je čas, da se vrneš na zemljo,« je rekla mati Hulda. »Dobro in zvesto si mi služila, zato boš nagrajena, kakor sem ti obljubila.«
Nato je odprla omaro, vzela iz nje dekličino vreteno in ji ga izročila. Potem jo je prijela za roko ter jo odpeljala iz hiše in po poti do velikih vrat, ki so stala odprta.
»Tam vodi tvoja pot,« je rekla mati Hulda. Deklica je stopila skozi vrata, in v tistem hipu se je nanjo kakor dež usul zlati pljusk. Zlato se je oprijelo njenega telesa, tako da se je od glave do peta lesketala; celo njeni čevlji in obleka so bili zlati.
»To je moja nagrada, ker si bila dobra služabnica,« ji je zaklicala mati Hulda. Nato so se vrata zaprla, deklica pa je stekla po poti in kmalu prispela do mačehine hiše.
Ko je stopila skozi dvoriščna vrata, je petelin glasno zapel: »Kikiriki! Naša zlata deklica je spet doma!« Vstopila je v hišo in zdaj sta se je mati in sestra razveselili, ker je bila vsa prekrita z zlatom. Vprašali sta jo, kje je bila in kdo ji je dal vse to bogastvo.
Deklica jima je povedala. Tedaj ju je prevzela zavist. »Na! Vzemi svoje vreteno,« je vdova zaklicala lastni hčeri. »Vrzi ga v vodnjak in skoči za njim. Če je mati Hulda tako nagradila tvojo sestro, kaj vse bo šele storila zate! Prav gotovo se boš vrnila domov vsa prekrita z diamanti in rubini.«
Grda deklica je vzela svoje vreteno in ga vrgla v vodnjak, kakor ji je naročila mati, nato pa skočila za njim. Pogrezala se je vse globlje, prav kakor prej njena sestra, in tudi njo je pričakal zeleni travnik s potjo, ki je vodila čezenj.
Deklica je hitela po poti, saj je hotela čim prej priti do hiše matere Hulde in dobiti nagrado. Kmalu je prišla do peči. »Vzemi nas ven! Vzemi nas ven!« so zaklicali hlebci v njej. »Zažgali se bomo, če ostanemo še kaj dlje tu notri.«
»Zakaj bi si zaradi vas črnila roke?« je zaklicala deklica. »Kar ostanite, kjer ste! Če se zažgete, boste škodo imeli le vi in nihče drug.« S temi besedami je odšla naprej.
Malo zatem je prišla do jablane, katere veje so se upogibale pod težo sadja. »Potresi me! Potresi me!« je zaklicala jablana. »Moje sadje je zrelo in veje se mi bodo polomile pod njegovo težo.«
»Jaz že ne!« je zaklicala deklica. »Ne bom te tresla. Kaj pa, če mi kakšno jabolko pade na glavo? Kar se mene tiče, se ti veje lahko kar polomijo!« Nato je šla naprej in grizljala jabolko, ki ga je pobrala s tal.
Kmalu je prišla do hiše matere Hulde in tam je skozi okno gledala mati Hulda sama. Grda deklica se ni bala ne nje ne njenih dolgih zob, saj ji je dobra sestra že povedala zanje. Stopila je k vratom in jih brez kančka strahu odprla.
»Prišla sem služit k vam,« je rekla, »in po nagrado.« »Prav,« je odgovorila mati Hulda. »Če mi boš dobro in zvesto služila, tudi nagrada ne bo izostala.«
Nato je grdo deklico odpeljala v zgornje nadstropje, ji pokazala posteljo in povedala, kako naj stresa in stepa pernico. Potem jo je pustila samo. Grda deklica je začela stepati pernico, a se je tega kmalu naveličala, odšla dol in vprašala, ali je večerja že pripravljena. Mati Hulda se je namrščila, vendar ni rekla ničesar in je deklici postregla z dobro večerjo iz kruha in mesa.
Naslednji dan je grda deklica pernico komaj kaj stepala, dan zatem pa je bilo še slabše. Do konca tedna je nad svet priplavala komaj kakšna snežinka.
»Nisi primerna za delo pri meni,« je rekla mati Hulda. »Oditi boš morala.« »Prav,« je odgovorila deklica. »Z veseljem, toda prej mi dajte nagrado.«
»Da, dobila boš svojo nagrado,« je rekla mati Hulda, »in zaslužiš si jo.« Odprla je omaro, vzela iz nje vreteno in ji ga izročila, nato pa jo odpeljala po poti do odprtih vrat. Deklica je bila zelo zadovoljna. »Še trenutek,« si je mislila, »pa bom vsa prekrita z zlatom, kakor je bila moja sestra, če ne celo z diamanti in rubini.«
»Tam vodi tvoja pot!« je zaklicala mati Hulda. Deklica je stekla skozi vrata, toda namesto zlata ali dragih kamnov se je nanjo usul pljusk saj, tako da je bila od glave do peta črna.
»To je nagrada za tvoje služenje!« ji je zaklicala mati Hulda, nato pa zaloputnila vrata in jih zaklenila, da se deklica ni mogla vrniti.
Lena hči je tako v solzah stekla domov, in ko je stopila skozi dvoriščna vrata, je petelin glasno zapel: »Kikiriki! Naša sajasta deklica je spet doma!«
Naj se je še tako trudila, grda deklica saj nikoli ni mogla povsem sprati s sebe. Dobra sestra pa se je poročila z imenitnim plemičem in srečno živela do konca svojih dni.
Izvirnik
There was once a widow who had two daughters; the elder of the girls was cross and ugly, but the mother loved her dearly because she was exactly like herself, and also because she was her own daughter. The younger girl was only her stepdaughter, and because of this, and also because the girl was good and pretty the mother hated her, and did all she could to make her miserable.
One day the good daughter sat by the well spinning, and as she spun she wept because she was so unhappy. The tears blinded her eyes, and presently she pricked her finger, and a drop of blood fell on the flax. The girl was frightened, for she feared her stepmother would scold her when she saw the flax, so she stooped over the edge of the well to try to wash the blood off it. But the spindle slipped from her hand and sank down and down through the water until it was lost to sight.
That was worse than ever; the girl did not know what her stepmother would do to her when she heard the spindle had been lost down the well. Still she was obliged to confess.
The widow was indeed very angry.
“You good-for-nothing!” she cried. “You are the trouble of my life. Out of my sight, and do not dare to return until you can bring the spindle with you,” and she gave the girl a push so that she almost fell over.
The girl was so frightened and unhappy that she ran out of the door; without stopping to think, she jumped into the well. Down, down she sank, through the waters, just as the spindle had done, and when she reached the bottom she found herself in a broad green meadow with a road leading across it.
The girl followed the road, and presently she came to a baker’s oven that stood beside the way, and it was full of bread. The girl was about to pass by, but the loaves inside called to her, “Take us out! Take us out! If we are left in the oven any longer we will burn.”
She was surprised to hear the bread speak to her, but she opened the door and drew the loaves out, and set them neatly on end to cool. Then she went on.
A little farther, she came to an apple-tree. It was so loaded down with fruit that the branches bent with the weight of it.
“Shake me! Shake me!” cried the apple-tree. “My apples are ripe and my boughs are like to break with the weight of them.”
The girl shook the apple-tree till the apples fell about her in a shower. She piled the apples neatly about the tree and went on her way.
After awhile she came to a little house, and an ugly old woman with long yellow teeth was looking out of the window. The girl was frightened at the old woman’s looks, and was about to turn away, but the woman called to her, “Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you. I need a serving-maid. Come in, and if you serve me faithfully I will reward you well.”
The girl did not feel afraid any longer. She opened the door and went in.
The old woman took her upstairs and showed her a great feather bed. “I am Mother Hulda,” said she. “It is I who send out the frost and snow over the world. Every day you must give my bed a good beating. Then, when the feathers fly, it snows upon the earth.”
The girl stayed with Mother Hulda many months. Every day she gave the bed such a good beating that the feathers flew, and there was much snow that year. Mother Hulda was very much pleased with her. She was kind to her, and the girl had all she wanted to eat, and that of the best, and a comfortable bed to sleep in; but all the same, by the time the winter was over she began to feel sad and dull. She longed to see her home and her mother and sister, too, even though they were unkind to her.
“Now I see it is time for you to go back to the earth again,” said Mother Hulda. “You have served me well and faithfully, and you shall be rewarded as I promised you.”
She then opened a closet door and brought out the girl’s spindle and gave it to her. After that she took the girl by the hand and led her out of the house and along a road to a great gate that stood open.
“There lies your way,” said Mother Hulda.
The girl passed out through the gate, and as she did so a shower of gold fell all about her like rain, and stuck to her so that she glittered from head to foot with gold; even her shoes and her clothes were golden.
“That is my reward to you because you have been a good servant,” cried Mother Hulda. Then the gate closed, and the girl ran along the road and quickly came to the house of her stepmother.
As she entered the gate the cock crowed loudly, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Our golden girl’s come home again.”
She entered the house, and now her mother and sister were glad to see her because she was covered with gold. They asked her where she had been and who had given her all that treasure.
The girl told them. Then they were filled with envy.
“Here! Take your spindle,” cried the widow to her own daughter. “Throw it in the well and jump down after it. If Mother Hulda has rewarded your sister in this way what will she not do for you? No doubt you will come home all covered with diamonds and rubies.”
The ugly girl took her spindle and threw it down the well, as her mother bade her, and jumped in after it. Down, down she went, just as her sister had done, and there was the green meadow with the road leading across it.
The girl hurried along the road, for she was in haste to reach Mother Hulda’s house and get a reward, and presently she came to the oven.
“Take us out! Take us out!” cried the loaves inside. “We will burn if we are left in here any longer.”
“Why should I blacken my hands for you?” cried the girl. “Stay where you are, and if you burn no one will be the worse for it but yourselves.” And so saying she went on her way.
A little farther she came to the apple-tree, and its boughs were bent with the weight of the fruit it bore.
“Shake me! Shake me!” cried the apple-tree. “My fruit is ripe, and my boughs are like to break with the weight of it.”
“Not I!” cried the girl. “I will not shake you. Suppose one of the apples should fall upon my head. Your boughs may break for all of me!” And so she went on her way, munching an apple that she had picked up from off the ground.
It was not long before she came to Mother Hulda’s house, and there was Mother Hulda herself looking out of the window. The ugly girl was not afraid of her and her long teeth, for the good sister had already told her about them. She marched up to the door and opened it as bold as bold.
“I have come to take service with you,” she said, “and to get the reward.”
“Very well,” answered Mother Hulda. “If you serve me well and faithfully the reward shall not be lacking.”
She then took the ugly girl upstairs and showed her the bed, and told her how she was to shake and beat it. Then she left her there.
The ugly girl began to beat the bed, but she soon tired of it and came downstairs and asked if supper were ready. Mother Hulda frowned, but she said nothing, and she gave the girl a good supper of bread and meat.
The next day the ugly girl hardly beat the bed at all, and the next day it was still worse. At the end of the week hardly a flake of snow had floated out over the world.
“You will never do for me,” said Mother Hulda. “You will have to go.”
“Very well,” answered the girl. “I am willing, but give me my reward first.”
“Yes, you shall have your reward,” said Mother Hulda, “and you deserve it.”
She opened the closet and took out the spindle and gave it to her, and led her along the road to the open gate. The girl was very much pleased. “Now in a moment,” thought she, “I will be all covered with gold the way my sister was, unless I am covered with diamonds and rubies.”
“There lies your way,” cried Mother Hulda.
The girl ran through the gate, but instead of gold or precious stones, a shower of soot fell over her so that she was black from head to foot.
“That is the reward of your services,” cried Mother Hulda to the girl, and then she banged the gate and locked it so that the girl could not come back.
So the lazy daughter ran home, crying, and as she entered the gate the cock crowed loudly, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Our sooty girl’s come home again.”
And try as she might the ugly girl could never get the soot entirely off her. But as to the good sister she was married to a great nobleman, and lived happy ever after.
