Hungarian Folk Tales: The Diligent Girl and the Lazy Girl

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived an old man and an old woman. Each had a daughter from their previous marriages. The old woman was always angry with her stepdaughter and didn't like her one bit. One day, things became unbearable, and the old woman chased the girl away, telling her to seek work with a rich family.

The girl walked and walked, until she passed a pear tree. To her surprise, the tree spoke: "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find a job as a servant with a rich family," the young girl replied.

"Come here and rid me of my dry branches, and I will do you a good deed in return," said the pear tree.

The girl kindly obliged and continued on her way until she came upon a grapevine. The vines spoke to her: "Come here and hoe around my roots, and I will do you a good deed in return."

Again, the girl did as she was asked. She walked on until she encountered a crumbling oven. "Please come here and make me tidy and clean, and I will do you a good deed in return," said the oven.

The girl cleaned the oven and moved on. She soon came across a broken-down well. "Where are you going?" asked the well.

"I journey to find work," she replied.

"Please come here and make me tidy and clean, and I will do you a good deed in return," requested the well.

The girl bailed the stale water out of the well and walked on until she met a tiny dog. The dog said, "Please wash me, brush me, and trim me, and I will do you a good deed in return."

The dog praised the young girl profusely after she had washed and clipped him. After that, she carried on traveling till she came upon a stunning home. Fairies resided inside. The girl shared her adventure with the fairies after they inquired about it.

One fairy said, "Why don't you stay here and become our servant?" "There are seven rooms; you have to sweep out six rooms every day but must never go to the seventh room."

The girl accepted and put in a year of hard effort. She begged to go at the end of the year so she could show her family what she had accomplished back home."You have been a faithful maid," said the fairy. "You did as you were told, so now we will tell you what you have earned. Lie down atop these gold coins, roll over, and whatever sticks to you is yours. Then do the same on the silver coins."

The girl did as she was told and left with gold and silver sticking to her. On her way home, she met the little dog again, who said, "Come here and take as many pearls as you wish." The dog was covered in pearls, and the young girl took the pearls and hung them around her neck.

She went on her way home, pausing at the well to sip the lovely water. She then made it to the oven with the cake and bread inside. "Come here and eat your fill in return for your good deed," the oven replied. She finished what she had, packed more for the trip, and left. She was pleased to eat and drink the delicious fruit that the grapevine offered her. At last, the pear tree offered her luscious fruit as a welcome.

The cockerel cried out in greeting as she got closer to her house: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! "My mistress will be returning home adorned in gold and silver."The old woman couldn't believe her eyes. The girl ran home and brought joy to her father. However, the old woman, envious, sent her own daughter to earn even more wealth.

The lazy girl started her journey, passing the pear tree, the grapevine, the oven, the well, and the dog. Each requested help in return for a good deed, but the girl refused to dirty her hands and feet.

When she arrived at the lovely home, she requested to spend the night there. After she complied, the fairies requested her to sweep six rooms every day and keep out of the seventh. The girl cooperated at first but couldn't resist the desire to peek into the prohibited room. She was horrified to see that it was full of snakes and frogs that would severely sting and bite her.

She fled the house, receiving no payment. On her way home, she sought help from the dog, the well, the oven, the grapevine, and the pear tree, but each refused her.

As she neared home, the cockerel crowed: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! My mistress is coming home all covered in blood!"

The old woman was shocked. The old man pointed out that his daughter earned more as a maid than hers did. This caused a quarrel that resulted in the old woman and her daughter leaving the home.

The elderly man had a long and happy life with his daughter.