The Golden Daughter

Title: "The Golden Daughter"

By Maximillian

Once upon a time in the village of Ibadakuli in a small town of Shinyanga, there lived a widow named Mrs. Hawthorne, who had two daughters. One daughter, Lily, was known throughout the village for her beauty and diligence, while the other, Agatha, was considered plain and lazy. Mrs. Hawthorne favored Agatha, her own daughter, and bestowed upon her preferential treatment, leaving Lily to shoulder the burden of household chores like a modern-day Cinderella.

Each day, Lily was sent to sit by the village well and spin wool until her fingers bleed, while Agatha idled away her time with little regard for the responsibilities thrust upon her stepsister. One fateful day, as Lily spun wool by the well, a drop of blood fell onto her spindle, causing it to spring from her hand and plunge into the water below. Distressed, Lily retrieved the spindle and returned home to her unsympathetic stepmother, who callously ordered her to retrieve the lost spindle from the well herself.

With a heavy heart, Lily returned to the well and, in a moment of desperation, jumped into its depths to retrieve the spindle. To her astonishment, she awoke in a sun-drenched meadow, surrounded by vibrant flowers and singing birds. Little did she know, she had entered a realm of enchantment beyond her wildest dreams.

In this magical meadow, Lily encountered miraculous wonders at every turn. She stumbled upon an oven overflowing with bread, its loaves pleading for rescue from the flames. With compassion in her heart, Lily rescued the bread and continued on her journey, where she encountered a tree laden with ripe apples, begging to be picked. With a gentle shake, she liberated the apples from their branches and continued on her way, her arms laden with nature's bounty.

As Lily wandered further, she stumbled upon a quaint cottage inhabited by Mother Hull, an enigmatic old woman with a heart of gold. Despite Mother Hull's fearsome appearance, Lily found solace in her company and agreed to work for her in exchange for food and shelter. She tended to Mother Hull's household with diligence and care, her heart swelling with gratitude for the kindness she received.

However, as time passed, Lily's thoughts turned to her home and family, and she longed to return to the world she once knew. With Mother Hull's blessing, she embarked on her journey home, passing through a gateway adorned with golden light. As she stepped through the gateway, a shower of gold enveloped her, a testament to her industrious spirit and unwavering kindness.

Meanwhile, back in the village, Agatha's jealousy consumed her, and she begged her mother to allow her to try her luck at Mother Hull's cottage. Eager to reap the rewards of her daughter's labor, Mrs. Hawthorne obliged, and Agatha set off to meet Mother Hull.

However, unlike Lily, Agatha's laziness and selfishness were her undoing. She neglected her duties, angered Mother Hull, and was swiftly dismissed from her service. As she passed through the gateway, instead of gold, she was drenched in pitch, a fitting punishment for her greed and arrogance.

When Agatha returned home, covered in pitch, the villagers mocked her, and even the rooster crowed in derision. Try as she might, Agatha could not rid herself of the pitch, serving as a reminder of her folly for the rest of her days.

And so, the tale of the two sisters served as a cautionary reminder of the virtues of diligence and kindness, and the perils of envy and sloth. As for Lily, she returned home to her mother and sister, her heart filled with gratitude for the lessons she had learned and the riches she had gained, not in gold, but in the boundless beauty of the world around her.