There was once a woman who was as ugly and mean as a witch. She had three daughters, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes, and one stepdaughter. Her own three daughters sat about the house doing nothing or something as they chose. It was the stepdaughter who was told to do this and to do that.
"Serve breakfast to your three weary sisters who must rest in bed!" "Take the cows to pasture, and hurry!" "Here is the flax to spin. Three pounds of it, and it must be finished today!"
The young girl labored hard each day, often wondering how she could finish all of the work. One day as she sat weeping because the work was not done, an old man passed by and asked, "Dear daughter, why do you weep so?"
"I weep because I cannot finish all of my work. I have these three pounds of flax to spin. The day is growing short, and my stepmother will beat me if I have not done all that she told me to do."
"Do not grieve. That is nothing. Give the flax to your mother's spotted cow. She will chew the flax, and the spun, finished linen will come out from her nostrils."
No sooner said than done. In a very short time there was the flax all spun. That evening the young girl gave her stepmother the spools of linen thread, all neatly worked. The woman looked at the linen and looked at the girl. How could all this work be finished in one day!
The next day the woman sent her daughter, One-Eye, to pasture so she might watch her stepsister and discover how all this was done. As the two sat in the meadow, the young girl began to comb One-Eye's hair and, at the same time, sang softly, "Sleep, sleep, little one eye." And there was One-Eye, fast asleep. Immediately, the flax was given to the spotted cow, and before long the flax was all neatly spun. When One-Eye awakened, her stepsister was waiting patiently, the work finished. So it was that One-Eye could tell her mother nothing that evening.
Not satisfied, the stepmother sent Two-Eyes to pasture on the following day. Certainly, Two-Eyes would be more watchful! As soon as the two girls reached the pasture, the stepsister began to comb Two-Eyes' hair, singing softly, "Sleep, sleep, little one eye, and soon the other eye will sleep, too." And there was Two-Eyes, fast asleep. Once again, the young girl gave the flax to the spotted cow, who spun the flax as quickly as she had done before. When Two-Eyes awakened, the work was finished. So it was that Two-Eyes could tell her mother nothing that evening.
The stepmother was more dissatisfied than ever and sent Three-Eyes to pasture the next day with orders to watch carefully. As the two girls sat in the meadow, the stepsister began to comb Three-Eyes' hair, singing softly, "Sleep sleep, little one eye. Soon two and three eyes will sleep, too." And there was Three-Eyes with two eyes fast asleep. But her third eye, which was in the back of her head, never closed. So it was that she could watch and see all that her stepsister did. That evening, Three Eyes was able to tell her mother more than One-Eye and Two-Eyes had been able to tell. When the wicked stepmother heard all that had happened, she decided to have the spotted cow slaughtered. Her stepdaughter wept and begged for the cow's life, but the cow was slaughtered. As the poor young girl sat weeping, the kind old man passed by again. He stopped and said quietly, "Look inside the cow. There you will find a pea, which you are to plant in the ground, and all will go well with you."
The young girl did as the old man told her, and from the pea there soon grew a golden apple tree bearing golden apples. All the people about marveled at this rare tree. Finally, the king's son heard about the golden tree and came to see for himself.
The stepmother was pleased to have a king's son visit her and she asked, "Would you not like one of the golden apples?"
Indeed yes, the king's son would like one of the golden apples.
First, One-Eye was sent to pluck an apple. As she reached for one, all of the branches raised upward, and One-Eye could not touch a single apple. Then Two-Eyes was sent to try her luck. The same thing happened. As she reached for a golden apple, all of the branches moved so that not an apple could be plucked. Finally, Three-Eyes was sent to the tree, but she was no more successful than her sisters. Not one golden apple could be reached! Not knowing what else to do, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes turned to their stepsister for help.
The young girl walked to the golden apple tree. As her hands reached out to the tree, the branches bowed down, and the girl could pluck as many golden apples as she chose. And that was a sight!
The king's son was so pleased with his gift and the sight on the comely girl that he seated her in his carriage, and the two rode away. The girl turned about to take a last glance at the golden apple tree. To her amazement and that of the prince, there was the tree, tinkling and gleaming, sparkling and jingling, following them to the king's castle.
So, the king's son married the lovely stepdaughter, and they lived happily ever after. As for the stepmother and her three daughters, with all of their cleverness, they could do nothing more.
Mother Luck
There was once a mother who had two daughters, one her own, the other a stepdaughter. The stepdaughter was honest and hard-working. In spite of that, she was scolded all the time and kept half starved. Her stepsister, on the other hand, was pampered and spoiled beyond any belief.
One year, and it was in the midst of winter, the mother ordered her stepdaughter to the forest to gather strawberries. She gave the girl a large basket and a loaf of bread made of sand and ashes with which she had mixed a bit of flour.
The young girl walked all day, up and down and everywhere, but could find no strawberries. Tired and discouraged, she started homeward but found she had lost her way. Not knowing what to do and with evening approaching, the poor girl sat down on a tree stump and started to cry as though she would never stop. After a while she raised her head and noticed a little house close by. Slowly, she walked to the house, knocked at the door, and went in. An old, old woman rose and came to meet her.
"Please," begged the girl, "may I stay and warm myself by the fire?"
That she might do.
"But tell me," said the old woman, "where are you from and why are you in the forest with that large basket?"
"My stepmother sent me to the forest early this morning so that I might gather strawberries for her. I have looked long and hard but have found nothing. If I return to my stepmother with no strawberries, she will scold and beat me most harshly."
The old woman listened but said not a word.
The young girl felt her hunger as the warmth of the fire crept into her body. She took the bread out of her basket and, breaking it in two, gave the woman a piece. The woman put a crumb into her mouth and tasted it. She could not swallow it.
"What poor bread you have, my daughter."
"Oh, that is the kind my stepmother always gives me."
The old woman reached for a loaf of her own bread and gave it to the young girl. It was white and light and most tasteful.
"Oh, dear old mother," cried the girl, "how delicious your bread is! Suchlike I have never had before in my mouth."
When she had warmed herself and was no longer hungry, the old woman said, "Dear daughter, take that broom which stands in the corner and sweep all the paths around this house. Then you will find as many strawberries as you could ever wish for."
Taking the broom, the girl went out of doors and began to sweep the paths. As she swept, she noticed, suddenly, strawberries all about her in the snow-- baskets and basketsful. She filled her basket with the tender, sweet berries and ran into the house, not knowing how to thank the old woman. Bidding the woman good-by, she turned to go home. The old woman walked to the road with her, where she gave the girl a small box.
"Keep this box closed. Open it only after three days have passed. In this box you will find your luck."
But the stepdaughter wondered. "Do I have such a thing as luck?"
"Yes, yes," said the old woman, "in that box lies your luck."
"Then, perhaps, you are Mother Luck herself?"
"That I am," answered the old woman and vanished.
The young girl went home happily. She gave the strawberries to her stepmother, who wondered where the girl had found them. As she asked questions, her stepdaughter answered and, very soon, her stepmother had heard the whole story. How the girl had searched for strawberries all day long without any luck. How she had gone into a little house to warm herself and found Mother Luck, who had given her the good white bread and even a box in which she was to find her luck.
The very next day the stepmother sent her own daughter to the forest to gather strawberries. But, to her, she gave all kinds of dainties to eat and a loaf of fine white bread. The daughter went into the forest and, very soon, found Mother Luck's little house. She went into the house in the boldest fashion, sat down on a chair, and said, "How terribly cold I am!"
Mother Luck said nothing.
The girl pulled the dainties and the white bread from her basket and, setting them on the table, started to eat, offering nothing to Mother luck.
"Will you not share your food with me?" asked Mother Luck.
"What? Share my food with you when everyone knows that you have everything that you need, and more?" And the girl continued to eat alone.
When she had finished, she turned to Mother Luck and said, "Now, give me the strawberries!"
"Take that broom which stands in the corner, sweep the paths around the house, and there you will find strawberries enough."
"I am not one to sweep paths," answered the girl.
So, Mother Luck took the broom that was in the corner, went out of doors, and swept the paths herself. Why, she even helped the girl gather the strawberries!
"And when are you going to give me my luck?" asked the girl.
Mother Luck gave the daughter a little box.
"Keep this box closed. Open it only after a year has passed. In this box you will find your luck."
The girl ran off joyfully and reached her home quite out of breath.
It so happened that on the following day the king's son came to that house, seeking a maidservant. The stepdaughter agreed to serve him. At the same time she offered him some of the strawberries she had gathered. The king's son was much surprised. Where, in the midst of winter, had she found such tender, sweet berries? The girl told him how it had all happened. In came her stepsister, who also offered strawberries to the king's son. He tasted them. How bitter they were! He certainly could not eat them.
When the three days had passed, the time came for the stepdaughter to open the box that Mother Luck had Given her. There, inside, she found jewels and rings, splendid finery, and a golden crown.
And it also happened that the king's son asked for the stepdaughter's hand in marriage, and, in due time, she became a queen.
As for her stepsister, she opened her box when the year had passed. Out of the box fire shot forth, burning down the house, the cruel mother, and the pampered daughter.
One year, and it was in the midst of winter, the mother ordered her stepdaughter to the forest to gather strawberries. She gave the girl a large basket and a loaf of bread made of sand and ashes with which she had mixed a bit of flour.
The young girl walked all day, up and down and everywhere, but could find no strawberries. Tired and discouraged, she started homeward but found she had lost her way. Not knowing what to do and with evening approaching, the poor girl sat down on a tree stump and started to cry as though she would never stop. After a while she raised her head and noticed a little house close by. Slowly, she walked to the house, knocked at the door, and went in. An old, old woman rose and came to meet her.
"Please," begged the girl, "may I stay and warm myself by the fire?"
That she might do.
"But tell me," said the old woman, "where are you from and why are you in the forest with that large basket?"
"My stepmother sent me to the forest early this morning so that I might gather strawberries for her. I have looked long and hard but have found nothing. If I return to my stepmother with no strawberries, she will scold and beat me most harshly."
The old woman listened but said not a word.
The young girl felt her hunger as the warmth of the fire crept into her body. She took the bread out of her basket and, breaking it in two, gave the woman a piece. The woman put a crumb into her mouth and tasted it. She could not swallow it.
"What poor bread you have, my daughter."
"Oh, that is the kind my stepmother always gives me."
The old woman reached for a loaf of her own bread and gave it to the young girl. It was white and light and most tasteful.
"Oh, dear old mother," cried the girl, "how delicious your bread is! Suchlike I have never had before in my mouth."
When she had warmed herself and was no longer hungry, the old woman said, "Dear daughter, take that broom which stands in the corner and sweep all the paths around this house. Then you will find as many strawberries as you could ever wish for."
Taking the broom, the girl went out of doors and began to sweep the paths. As she swept, she noticed, suddenly, strawberries all about her in the snow-- baskets and basketsful. She filled her basket with the tender, sweet berries and ran into the house, not knowing how to thank the old woman. Bidding the woman good-by, she turned to go home. The old woman walked to the road with her, where she gave the girl a small box.
"Keep this box closed. Open it only after three days have passed. In this box you will find your luck."
But the stepdaughter wondered. "Do I have such a thing as luck?"
"Yes, yes," said the old woman, "in that box lies your luck."
"Then, perhaps, you are Mother Luck herself?"
"That I am," answered the old woman and vanished.
The young girl went home happily. She gave the strawberries to her stepmother, who wondered where the girl had found them. As she asked questions, her stepdaughter answered and, very soon, her stepmother had heard the whole story. How the girl had searched for strawberries all day long without any luck. How she had gone into a little house to warm herself and found Mother Luck, who had given her the good white bread and even a box in which she was to find her luck.
The very next day the stepmother sent her own daughter to the forest to gather strawberries. But, to her, she gave all kinds of dainties to eat and a loaf of fine white bread. The daughter went into the forest and, very soon, found Mother Luck's little house. She went into the house in the boldest fashion, sat down on a chair, and said, "How terribly cold I am!"
Mother Luck said nothing.
The girl pulled the dainties and the white bread from her basket and, setting them on the table, started to eat, offering nothing to Mother luck.
"Will you not share your food with me?" asked Mother Luck.
"What? Share my food with you when everyone knows that you have everything that you need, and more?" And the girl continued to eat alone.
When she had finished, she turned to Mother Luck and said, "Now, give me the strawberries!"
"Take that broom which stands in the corner, sweep the paths around the house, and there you will find strawberries enough."
"I am not one to sweep paths," answered the girl.
So, Mother Luck took the broom that was in the corner, went out of doors, and swept the paths herself. Why, she even helped the girl gather the strawberries!
"And when are you going to give me my luck?" asked the girl.
Mother Luck gave the daughter a little box.
"Keep this box closed. Open it only after a year has passed. In this box you will find your luck."
The girl ran off joyfully and reached her home quite out of breath.
It so happened that on the following day the king's son came to that house, seeking a maidservant. The stepdaughter agreed to serve him. At the same time she offered him some of the strawberries she had gathered. The king's son was much surprised. Where, in the midst of winter, had she found such tender, sweet berries? The girl told him how it had all happened. In came her stepsister, who also offered strawberries to the king's son. He tasted them. How bitter they were! He certainly could not eat them.
When the three days had passed, the time came for the stepdaughter to open the box that Mother Luck had Given her. There, inside, she found jewels and rings, splendid finery, and a golden crown.
And it also happened that the king's son asked for the stepdaughter's hand in marriage, and, in due time, she became a queen.
As for her stepsister, she opened her box when the year had passed. Out of the box fire shot forth, burning down the house, the cruel mother, and the pampered daughter.
The Bad-Tempered Wife
There was once a man whose wife was so bad-tempered that he could not manage her, no matter how he tried. One day, in order to escape from his wife's temper, he went into the forest seeking peace of mind. As he sought peace of mind, he found something else besides, a deep, deep hole.
When he returned to his home, he said to his wife, "You cannot imagine what I have found in the forest! A deep, deep hole with a huge pot of money in it."
"Is that so?" exclaimed his wife. "And you are only telling me about it? You simpleton! Did you not have the sense to bring the money home?"
"No, my dear. I will not crawl for money. If you want the money, you shall have to crawl for it yourself."
The next morning the poor husband had less peace than he had had the day before. He could find peace nowhere, not even in a crack in the wall. His wife demanded to be taken to the hole and the pot of money. There was nothing else to be done. Starting from the house, they soon reached the deep hole in the forest. The poor man's troubles did not end there. His wife cajoled, demanding to know how she was to get the pot of money when the hole was so deep.
"Is it my fault that the hole is so deep?" complained the husband. "Bend over a little more; reach down a little farther. Perhaps then you can get hold of the pot."
His wife stretched and reached, reached and stretched. Suddenly, she fell over, head first into the hole. Not knowing what else to do, the man turned homeward, knowing at least that he would not be troubled by his wife for a little while. But the more he thought about it, the worse he felt. Surely there was something he could do. At last he thought of a plan. Taking a long rope, he tied a small board to the end of it. When he reached the hole, he lowered the board into the hole. Then he started to pull. He pulled and pulled and pulled with all his might. It was surprising how heavy his wife had become, but at long last he had pulled her out.
Then he looked at the board and was overcome with fright. Instead of his wife, there sat the devil himself on the board.
The devil looked at the man and said, "How good it is, brother, that you pulled me out of that hole. Why just yesterday a terribly bad-tempered woman came down into the hole, and not a moment of peace have I had since. There was no place to be safe from her biting tongue."
Without a word the husband started to push the devil back into the hole. How the devil begged for the man to stop! Why he would make the man happy for the rest of his life!
"Happy for the rest of my life? First, you must tell me how you can do that."
"Well," said the devil, "take this stick that I have, go across the river, and cure the ailing baron who lives there. All you have to do is strike the baron three times with this stick, and he will be cured instantly. You will receive enough money so you can live with no cares."
This plan pleased the man well enough; so he took the stick, crossed the river, and hurried to the home of the ailing baron.
"What can a simple peasant know about such things?" the servants asked. And they refused to admit the man. But when the baron himself heard that a stranger was insisting he could help him, he demanded to see the man.
One, two, three. The man struck the baron three times with his stick, and lo, the baron recovered immediately. With joy the baron gave the man a large sum of money and bade him go to one of his relatives a far richer baron, who was also ill.
Away went the man to the home of the richer baron. One, two, three strikes of the stick, and that baron was cured. This time the man received twice as much money as the first baron had given him.
"Now," said the second baron, "you must go to the king himself. He, too, is ailing, and you must help him."
Away went the man to the king. One, two, and three strikes of the stick, and the king recovered completely. So great was his joy that the king gave him a vast measure of money.
The man started toward his home, carrying the heavy sack of money. On the way he met the devil, who stared with envy at the large sack of money.
"See," said the devil, "how happy and prosperous you have become with my help. Now I would like to have my stick back."
Well and good, he might have it.
But the devil was not satisfied and started to bargain.
"You could give me some of that money, too. Remember, you earned it only with my help."
The man looked at him. "How can we count the money in the middle of the road? Come to my home tomorrow morning, and I will give you the money."
Why not? The devil agreed.
In the meantime, the man thought and planned, and planned and thought. He collected old pots, old drums, old basins. Then he invited his friends and neighbors to visit him early the next morning. When they arrived, the man asked them to play upon the posts, the drums, the basins. What a clamor there was! The earth resounded, and the din could be heard for miles around. As for the man, he went out to meet the devil. When the devil came sauntering down the road, the man took him by the hand and started to lead him toward the house. The devil stopped.
"What is that dreadful din I hear? Who is making all of that noise?"
"Oh, that din? That is only my bad=tempered wife. She got out of the hole and is so angry that there is no stopping her now."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the devil. "Then I will not enter your house. I know her well enough. She is one from whom I cannot escape, not even into a crack in the wall. Keep the money and your wife! I am going back and will never return."
With that, the devil ran down the road as fast as he could.
And so it was that the husband was able to keep all of the money and spend the rest of his life without care.
When he returned to his home, he said to his wife, "You cannot imagine what I have found in the forest! A deep, deep hole with a huge pot of money in it."
"Is that so?" exclaimed his wife. "And you are only telling me about it? You simpleton! Did you not have the sense to bring the money home?"
"No, my dear. I will not crawl for money. If you want the money, you shall have to crawl for it yourself."
The next morning the poor husband had less peace than he had had the day before. He could find peace nowhere, not even in a crack in the wall. His wife demanded to be taken to the hole and the pot of money. There was nothing else to be done. Starting from the house, they soon reached the deep hole in the forest. The poor man's troubles did not end there. His wife cajoled, demanding to know how she was to get the pot of money when the hole was so deep.
"Is it my fault that the hole is so deep?" complained the husband. "Bend over a little more; reach down a little farther. Perhaps then you can get hold of the pot."
His wife stretched and reached, reached and stretched. Suddenly, she fell over, head first into the hole. Not knowing what else to do, the man turned homeward, knowing at least that he would not be troubled by his wife for a little while. But the more he thought about it, the worse he felt. Surely there was something he could do. At last he thought of a plan. Taking a long rope, he tied a small board to the end of it. When he reached the hole, he lowered the board into the hole. Then he started to pull. He pulled and pulled and pulled with all his might. It was surprising how heavy his wife had become, but at long last he had pulled her out.
Then he looked at the board and was overcome with fright. Instead of his wife, there sat the devil himself on the board.
The devil looked at the man and said, "How good it is, brother, that you pulled me out of that hole. Why just yesterday a terribly bad-tempered woman came down into the hole, and not a moment of peace have I had since. There was no place to be safe from her biting tongue."
Without a word the husband started to push the devil back into the hole. How the devil begged for the man to stop! Why he would make the man happy for the rest of his life!
"Happy for the rest of my life? First, you must tell me how you can do that."
"Well," said the devil, "take this stick that I have, go across the river, and cure the ailing baron who lives there. All you have to do is strike the baron three times with this stick, and he will be cured instantly. You will receive enough money so you can live with no cares."
This plan pleased the man well enough; so he took the stick, crossed the river, and hurried to the home of the ailing baron.
"What can a simple peasant know about such things?" the servants asked. And they refused to admit the man. But when the baron himself heard that a stranger was insisting he could help him, he demanded to see the man.
One, two, three. The man struck the baron three times with his stick, and lo, the baron recovered immediately. With joy the baron gave the man a large sum of money and bade him go to one of his relatives a far richer baron, who was also ill.
Away went the man to the home of the richer baron. One, two, three strikes of the stick, and that baron was cured. This time the man received twice as much money as the first baron had given him.
"Now," said the second baron, "you must go to the king himself. He, too, is ailing, and you must help him."
Away went the man to the king. One, two, and three strikes of the stick, and the king recovered completely. So great was his joy that the king gave him a vast measure of money.
The man started toward his home, carrying the heavy sack of money. On the way he met the devil, who stared with envy at the large sack of money.
"See," said the devil, "how happy and prosperous you have become with my help. Now I would like to have my stick back."
Well and good, he might have it.
But the devil was not satisfied and started to bargain.
"You could give me some of that money, too. Remember, you earned it only with my help."
The man looked at him. "How can we count the money in the middle of the road? Come to my home tomorrow morning, and I will give you the money."
Why not? The devil agreed.
In the meantime, the man thought and planned, and planned and thought. He collected old pots, old drums, old basins. Then he invited his friends and neighbors to visit him early the next morning. When they arrived, the man asked them to play upon the posts, the drums, the basins. What a clamor there was! The earth resounded, and the din could be heard for miles around. As for the man, he went out to meet the devil. When the devil came sauntering down the road, the man took him by the hand and started to lead him toward the house. The devil stopped.
"What is that dreadful din I hear? Who is making all of that noise?"
"Oh, that din? That is only my bad=tempered wife. She got out of the hole and is so angry that there is no stopping her now."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the devil. "Then I will not enter your house. I know her well enough. She is one from whom I cannot escape, not even into a crack in the wall. Keep the money and your wife! I am going back and will never return."
With that, the devil ran down the road as fast as he could.
And so it was that the husband was able to keep all of the money and spend the rest of his life without care.
Beginning
To start out I decided I would put up a picture of the book cover and type out the title page and contents of the book. So here 'tis.
TIT FOR TAT
and other Latvian Folk Tales
Retold by Mae Durham
from the translation of Skaidrite Rubene-Koo
Notes by Alan Dundes
Illustrated by Harriet Pincus
Harcourt, Brace &World, Inc., New York
Contents
1. The Bad-Tempered Wife
2. Mother Luck
3. One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes
4. The Poor Brother's Bad Luck
5. The Devil's Partnership
6. The Silly Goose War
7. The Three Cups of Water
8. The Wolf and the Ram
9. Tit for Tat
10. The Princess on the Glass Mountain
11. The Giant Beanstalk
12. The Devil and the Pit
13. The King on Trial
14. The Devil's Bride
15. The Guest from Heaven
16. Good Luck and Bad Luck
17. The Angry Baron
18. The Bird and the Man
19. The Fox and the Cock
20. The Insatiable Beggar
21. Fiddler John and the Devil
22. Good Advice
23. Notes
*Note: I have omitted the page numbers (as they are useless here) and given each story/section a number.
As to copyright: all rights belong to Mae J. Durham. However, the book is out of print. I have looked into copyrights and who owns it. I am in the process of contacting the publisher who now holds the work. If I find I am in violation of copyright in any way, I will remove all stories from this blog.
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