There was once a poor man who lived in a hut far away in the forest, and supported himself on the game. He had an only daughter, who was very beautiful, and as her mother was dead and she was grown up, she said she would go out in the world and seek her own living. “It is true, my child,” said her father, “that thou hast learnt nothing with me but to pluck and roast birds; but it is, nevertheless, well that thou shouldst earn thy bread.” The young girl therefore went in search of work, and when she had gone some way, she came to the royal palace. There she remained, and the queen took such a liking to her that the other servants became quite jealous; they, therefore, contrived to tell the queen that the girl had boasted she could spin a pound of flax in twenty-four hours, knowing that the queen was very fond of all kinds of handiwork. “Well, if thou hast said it, thou shalt do it,” said the queen to her. “But I will give thee a little longer time to do it in.” The poor girl was afraid of saying she never had spun, but only begged she might have a room to herself. This was allowed, and the flax and spinning-wheel were carried up to it. Here she sat and cried, and was so unhappy she knew not what to do; she placed herself by the wheel and twisted and twirled at it without knowing how to use it; she had never even seen a spinning-wheel before.

But as she so sat, there came an old woman into the room. “What’s the matter, my child?” said she. “Oh,” answered the young girl, “it is of no use that I tell you, for I am sure you cannot help me!” “That thou dost not know,” said the crone. “It might happen, however, that I could help thee.” “I may as well tell her,” thought the girl; and so she related to her, how her fellow-serv-ants had reported that she had said she could spin a pound of flax in twenty-four hours. “And poor I,” added she, “have never before in all my life seen a spinning-wheel; so far am I from being able to spin so much in one day.” “Well, never mind,” said the woman, “if thou wilt call me Aunt on thy wedding day, I will spin for thee, and thou canst lie down to sleep.” That the young girl was quite willing to do, and went to bed.

In the morning when she awoke, all the flax was spun and lying on the table, and was so fine and delicate that no one had ever seen such even and beautiful thread.

The queen was delighted with the beautiful thread she had now got, and on that account felt more attached to the young girl than before. But the other servants were still more jealous of her, and told the queen she had boasted that in twenty-four hours she could weave all the thread she had spun. The queen again answered: “If she had said that, she should do it; but if it were not done within the exact time, she would allow her a little longer.” The poor girl durst not say no, but begged she might have a room to herself, and then she would do her best. Now she again sat crying and lamenting, and knew not what to do, when another old woman came in, and asked: “What ails thee, my child?” The girl would not at first say, but at length told her what made her so sorrowful. “Well,” answered the crone, “provided thou wilt call me Aunt upon thy wedding day I will weave for thee, and thou canst go to sleep.” The young girl willingly agreed to do so, and went to bed.

When she awoke the piece of linen lay on the table woven, as fine and beautiful as it could be. The girl took it down to the queen, who was so delighted with the beautiful web which she had got, that she was fonder than ever of the young girl. At this the others were so exasperated that they thought of nothing but how they could injure her.

At length they told the queen, that she had boasted she could make the piece of linen into shirts in twenty-four hours. The girl was afraid to say she could not sew; and all took place as before: she was again put into a room alone, where she sat crying and unhappy. Now came another old woman to her, who promised to sew for her if she would call her Aunt upon her wedding day. This the young girl consented to do; she then did as the woman had desired her, and lay down to sleep. In the morning when she woke, she found that the linen was all made into shirts lying on the table, so beautiful that no one had ever seen the like; and they were all marked and completely finished. When the queen saw them she was so delighted with the work, that she clasped her hands together: “Such beautiful work,” she said, “I have never owned nor seen before.” And from that time she was as fond of the young girl as if she had been her own child. “If thou wouldst like to marry the prince, thou shalt have him,” said she to the maiden, “for thou wilt never need to put out anything to be made, as thou canst both spin and weave and sew everything for thyself.” As the young girl was very handsome, and the prince loved her, the wedding took place directly. Just as the prince was seated at the bridal table with her, an old woman entered who had an enormously long nose; it was certainly three ells long.

The bride rose from the table, curtsied, and said to her: “Good day, Aunt.” “Is that my bride’s aunt?” asked the prince. “Yes, she is.” “Then she must sit down at the table with us,” said he; though both the prince and the rest of the company thought it very disagreeable to sit at table with such a person.

At the same moment another very ugly old woman came in; she was so thick and broad behind that she could hardly squeeze herself through the door. Immediately the bride rose, and saluted her with a “Good day, Auntand the prince asked again if she were his bride’s aunt. They both answered “Yesthe prince then said, if that were the case she must also take a place at the table with them.

She had hardly seated herself before there came in a third ugly old crone, whose eyes were as large as plates, and so red and running that it was shocking to look at. The bride rose again and said: “Good day, Auntand the prince asked her also to sit down at table; but he was not well pleased, and thought within himself: “The Lord preserve me from my bride’s aunts.” After a short time he could not help asking: “How it came to pass that his bride, who was so beautiful, should have such ugly and deformed aunts.” “That I will tell you,” replied one of them. “I was as comely as your bride when at her age, but the reason of my having so long a nose is that I constantly and always sat jogging and nodding over the spinning-wheel, till my nose is become the length you see it.” “And I,” said the second, “ever since I was quite little, have sat upon the weaver’s bench rocking to and fro; therefore am I become so broad and swelled as you see me.” The third one said: “Ever since I was very young, I have sat poring over my work both night and day, therefore have my eyes become so red and ugly, and now there is no cure for them.” “Ah! is that the case?” said the prince, “it is well that I know it; for if people become so ugly thereby, then my bride shall never spin, nor weave, nor work any more all her life.”