The Lazy Girl and the Diligent Girl
Once upon a time, there was a house in a faraway village. A house where a husband and wife lived. Both had a daughter from their previous marriage.
The wife loved her daughter very much. She gave her new clothes to wear and never asked her to work. Thus, her daughter became very lazy. She would sit all day and do nothing but admire herself.
On the other hand, the wife treated her stepdaughter very badly.
— Why are you sitting here? Get up and clean the house!
— But Mother, I cleaned the house just this morning!
— Don't argue with me! Just do as I say!
— Yes, Mother.
The wife made her do all the chores, and yet the girl never complained. She did the same work over and over again and never got tired. Her father watched everything. His heart ached for his daughter, but he couldn't do anything. Over time, he had become too weak and wasn't well.
— My dear daughter, I am so sorry. I cannot give you anything.
— No, Father, don't be sorry. You loved me and took care of me my whole life. It's my turn now to take care of you. I will work and earn a lot of money. This is a difficult time for us, but it will end soon.
The wife listened to all this in silence.
— Why didn't I think of that? I should send her to work for a rich family. I'll send her to earn money. And whatever she earns will be mine. My daughter and I will then have the life I've always wanted!
— You're right! Your father is getting very sick, you know? And then there are other expenses. Why don't you go and work for a rich family? You can be a good servant!
— How dare you? Why don't you send your daughter instead?
— Oh, I would, but you know she's always worried about her beautiful hands and tiny feet. She'll lose her beauty if she works. Besides, your daughter isn't that beautiful anyway. It won't hurt her to go and work.
— It's settled then! Tomorrow morning, you will leave to find work with a rich family.
— Oh, what does she know about beauty? You don't have to work, my child.
— No, Father, I want to work. Nothing good comes from neglecting our duties. Don't worry, you've taught me well. I know that one day, my efforts will be rewarded.
The Diligent Girl's Journey
The next morning, the girl was ready to leave. She was going to look for work with a rich family. Her mother didn't give her food or water for the journey. But the girl wasn't upset.
— Take care of yourself, my child, and remember: never say no to anyone who asks for help. And be diligent! Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.
— Yes, I will remember that, Father.
And the daughter left. She walked from one hill to another, but found nothing. She walked for several days, but saw no one. And yet, she didn't lose hope and remembered what her father had said.
— Never say no to anyone who asks for help and be diligent! Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.
— Now I must focus on finding work. This is what I must do, and I will do it with all my heart. No matter how long it takes, I will not give up.
A little further on, she came across a talking tree. It was completely dry.
— Hello, girl! You seem to be going somewhere. Will you help me get rid of my dry branches? I will do a good deed in return.
— Oh, of course!
The girl climbed the tree and broke off all the dry branches with her hands. She didn't stop until the tree was completely cleared of dry branches and ready to grow new leaves and fruits. The tree thanked her, and the girl moved on.
Further on, she found a dying vine. Right behind the vine was a strangely shaped shovel. The vine spoke to the girl.
— Hello! Will you plow near my roots? I will do a good deed in return.
The girl took the shovel and began to plow. She plowed and plowed until her palms were full of wounds.
— I think your hands hurt.
— It's alright. They will heal. You needed help, and I had to help you.
The vine thanked her, and the girl moved on. Further on, she came across a broken oven, and it called out to her.
— Little girl, will you clean me and fix me up? I will do a good deed in return.
The girl saw that there were many cracks on the oven. She thought for a while. Then she brought some mud and mixed it with her feet. Then she used that mud to cover all the cracks. The oven was now like new.
— Thank you! But your hands and feet got dirty.
— It's alright. I can clean them with a little water. You needed help, and I had to help you.
The girl then moved on. Further on, she came across a broken well, and it spoke to her.
— Ooh, hello! Could you scoop out the stagnant water and clean me? I will do a good deed in return.
The girl scooped out all the stagnant water and cleaned the well thoroughly.
— Ooh! Your clothes got dirty!
— It's alright. I can clean them. You needed help, and I had to help you.
The well thanked her, and the girl moved on. A little further on, she heard a sweet voice. It was a dog. The dog was covered in mud and had long hair.
— Can you trim my fur and give me a bath in the river? I will do a good deed in return.
And the girl did just that. The dog was now happy and healthy. It thanked the girl. The girl washed herself in the river and moved on. Soon it grew dark.
The House of the Seven Fairies
She entered a house. Seven fairies lived there.
— I'm sorry to bother you, but it's dark outside. Can I stay here tonight?
— But where are you going?
— I'm looking for work.
— Is that so? Why don't you work here? There are seven rooms. You will have to clean all six rooms every day, but remember: never enter the seventh room. Do you agree?
— Oh, I am very grateful! Thank you! I will do as you say!
And so the girl did. She woke up every day and cleaned all six rooms. She never looked into the seventh room. A year passed, and the girl had earned enough money. She wanted to return to her sick father.
— Before you leave, tell us, why weren't you curious about the seventh room?
— My father taught me to always follow my duty. As long as I worked here, my duty was to obey you.
— We are pleased with your honesty, child. Your diligence has impressed us. Come with me! It is time for your reward.
The fairies led the girl into the seventh room. Inside were piles of gold and silver coins.
— Go and roll over those coins. Everything that sticks to you is yours.
The girl did as she was asked. She rolled in the pile of gold coins and then in the pile of silver coins. She shone like a star as all the coins stuck to her.
The Diligent Girl's Reward
She said goodbye to the fairies and left. On her way back, she found the dog she had washed. The dog now had strings of pearls instead of fur.
— Come, little girl! You helped me when I needed it! Come and take as many pearls as you wish!
The girl wrapped strings of pearls around her hands, feet, and neck. She thanked the dog and left. A little further on, she found the well she had cleaned.
— Come, little girl! You helped me when I needed it! Come, drink water and quench your thirst!
Near the well were many cups for travelers. The girl took a cup, filled it with water, and drank to her heart's content. She thanked the well and left. A little further on, she found the oven she had repaired.
— Come, girl! You helped me when I needed it! Come, eat this fresh bread and this cake!
So the girl ate as much as she wanted and brought some for her father too. Then she thanked the oven and left. A little further on, she found the vine she had plowed.
— Come, girl! You helped me when I needed it! Come, drink this fresh wine!
And so, the girl drank as much as she wanted and took some for her father too. She thanked the vine and left. A little further on, she found the tree she had helped. The tree was greener than ever and had fresh pears.
— Come, girl! You helped me when I needed it! Come and eat these fresh pears!
And so, the girl ate as much as she wanted and picked some for her father too. She thanked the tree and left. When she returned home, she was happy to see her father. He was no longer sick and was waiting for her at the door. She ran to him and hugged him tightly.
When her mother came, she was shocked to see her husband healthy and her daughter rich. She was covered from head to toe in gold and silver and much more. Ignoring her mother, the father and daughter went inside.
The Lazy Girl's Fate
The stepmother realized that her husband would not let her have anything. She immediately called her own daughter and asked her to go and look for work with a rich family.
— Listen to me! You must earn more than her! I trust you. She brought pearls? You will bring me rubies!
The daughter said goodbye and started walking. She hadn't walked long when she saw a tree that was completely dry. The tree asked her to help it get rid of its dry branches in exchange for a good deed.
— Are you serious? I will not dirty my clean hands and my beautiful feet for your dry branches, no matter what.
And she moved on. A little further on, she came across a dying vine, which asked her to plow near its roots in exchange for a good deed.
— Under this scorching sun, I will not dirty my clean hands and my beautiful feet for your dying roots, no matter what.
And she moved on. A little further on, she came across a broken oven, which asked her to repair it in exchange for a good deed.
— I will not dirty my clean hands and my beautiful feet, no matter what.
A little further on, she came across a well, which asked her to clean it in exchange for a good deed.
— You are a water well. Clean yourself! I will not dirty my beautiful hands and my beautiful feet, no matter what.
A little further on, she came across a dog, which begged her to wash it in exchange for a good deed. But the girl ran away screaming that she would not dirty her clean hands and her beautiful feet, no matter what.
A little further on, she reached a house and asked if she could stay overnight. It was the house of the seven fairies. Just as before, the fairies offered her to stay there for a year and clean all six rooms.
— But remember: do not enter the seventh room.
The girl agreed. Every day she woke up and cleaned all six rooms. But soon, her curiosity was so great that she entered the seventh room. It was dark inside, and instead of gold and silver coins, there were frogs and bees. They stung her so badly that she had wounds all over.
Without waiting for the fairies, the girl ran out of the house. On her way back, she found the dog covered with pearls. She ran after it to take some strings, but the dog disappeared.
A little further on, she found the well she had refused to clean. As she bent down to drink water, the water receded lower so that the girl could not reach it.
A little further on, she found the oven she had refused to repair. There was fresh bread and cake next to it. But when the girl tried to touch the bread, she burned her hands.
A little further on, she found the vine she had refused to plow. She was very thirsty, but the vine would not let her drink.
A little further on, she found the tree she had refused to help. It was full of green leaves and fresh pears. But as she tried to reach for the pears, the tree grew taller so she couldn't reach it.
Then the girl left. Back home, her mother stood in the doorway hoping to see gold and rubies. But her daughter returned covered in bruises with all her clothes dirty.
The Moral of the Story
Do you understand now? Laziness rewards you with nothing. Only a humble and sincere heart will be rewarded. There is no longer room for you in this house. You must leave.
The wife and her daughter left the house. The father and his diligent daughter lived happily ever after.
