The eldest went
with the shoe into her room and wanted to try it on, and her mother
stood by. But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was
too small for her. Then her mother gave her a knife and said, “Cut the
toe off; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need to go on
foot.” The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe,
swallowed the pain, and went out to the King’s son. Then he took her on
his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were, however,
obliged to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two
pigeons and cried,

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There’s blood within the shoe,
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you.”


Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was streaming from it. He turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said
she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe
on. Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into
the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife
and said, “Cut a bit off thy heel; when thou art Queen thou wilt have
no more need to go on foot.” The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced
her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the King’s
son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but
when they passed by the hazel-tree, two little pigeons sat on it and
cried,

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There’s blood within the shoe
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you.”


He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her
shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking. Then he turned his
horse and took the false bride home again. “This also is not the right
one,” said he, “have you no other daughter?” “No,” said the man, “There
is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind
her, but she cannot possibly be the bride.” The King’s son said he was
to send her up to him; but the mother answered, “Oh, no, she is much
too dirty, she cannot show herself!” He absolutely insisted on it, and
Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean,
and then went and bowed down before the King’s son, who gave her the
golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of
the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a
glove. And when she rose up and the King’s son looked at her face he
recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried,
“That is the true bride!” The step-mother and the two sisters were
terrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took Cinderella on
his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazel-tree, the
two white doves cried—

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
No blood is in the shoe,
The shoe is not too small for her,
The true bride rides with you,”


and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed
themselves on Cinderella’s shoulders, one on the right, the other on
the left, and remained sitting there. When the wedding with the King’s son had to be celebrated, the two
false sisters came and wanted to get into favour with Cinderella and
share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the
elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the
pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards as they came
back, the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then
the pigeons pecked out the other eye of each. And thus, for their
wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness as long as
they lived. 22 The Riddle

There was once a King’s son who was seized with a desire to travel
about the world, and took no one with him but a faithful servant. One
day he came to a great forest, and when darkness overtook him he could
find no shelter, and knew not where to pass the night. Then he saw a
girl who was going towards a small house, and when he came nearer, he
saw that the maiden was young and beautiful. He spoke to her, and said,
“Dear child, can I and my servant find shelter for the night in the
little house?” “Oh, yes,” said the girl in a sad voice, “that you
certainly can, but I do not advise you to venture it. Do not go in.”
“Why not?” asked the King’s son. The maiden sighed and said, “My
step-mother practises wicked arts; she is ill-disposed toward
strangers.” Then he saw very well that he had come to the house of a
witch, but as it was dark, and he could not go farther, and also was
not afraid, he entered. The old woman was sitting in an armchair by the
fire, and looked at the stranger with her red eyes. “Good evening,”
growled she, and pretended to be quite friendly. “Take a seat and rest
yourselves.” She blew up the fire on which she was cooking something in
a small pot. The daughter warned the two to be prudent, to eat nothing,
and drink nothing, for the old woman brewed evil drinks. They slept
quietly until early morning. When they were making ready for their
departure, and the King’s son was already seated on his horse, the old
woman said, “Stop a moment, I will first hand you a parting draught.”
Whilst she fetched it, the King’s son rode away, and the servant who
had to buckle his saddle tight, was the only one present when the
wicked witch came with the drink. “Take that to your master,” said she. But at that instant the glass broke and the poison spirted on the
horse, and it was so strong that the animal immediately fell down dead. The servant ran after his master and told him what had happened, but
would not leave his saddle behind him, and ran back to fetch it. When,
however, he came to the dead horse a raven was already sitting on it
devouring it. “Who knows whether we shall find anything better to-day?”
said the servant; so he killed the raven, and took it with him. And now
they journeyed onwards into the forest the whole day, but could not get
out of it. By nightfall they found an inn and entered it. The servant
gave the raven to the innkeeper to make ready for supper. They had,
however, stumbled on a den of murderers, and during the darkness twelve
of these came, intending to kill the strangers and rob them. Before
they set about this work, they sat down to supper, and the innkeeper
and the witch sat down with them, and together they ate a dish of soup
in which was cut up the flesh of the raven. Hardly, however, had they
swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, before they all fell down dead, for
the raven had communicated to them the poison from the horse-flesh. There was no no one else left in the house but the innkeeper’s
daughter, who was honest, and had taken no part in their godless deeds. She opened all doors to the stranger and showed him the heaped-up
treasures. But the King’s son said she might keep everything, he would
have none of it, and rode onwards with his servant.