The Three Little Men in the

Woods
Long ago, there was a man who had a beautiful daughter named Belle.
The man married another woman, who had an ugly daughter named Tinca.
Soon after the marriage, the stepmother showed her dislike for Belle. She and
her daughter, Tinca often bullied Belle and made her do all the housework.
That winter it was particularly cold, and it was snowing hard outside.
The stepmother made a paper dress and forced Belle to put it on. Then she told
her to go out into the woods and fetch a basket of wild strawberries. Belle
could not find any wild strawberries in the woods. Fortunately, she saw a
small house, in which three little men lived; otherwise she might die of cold.
By the fire Belle shared her only slice of stale bread among them.
Having told them her story, she said, I dare not go home until, I can find
some strawberries. Could you do something for us before you leave? said
one of the little old men. Belle said she could. Then, take a broom and sweep
away the snow in front of the house. The other little old man said. When
Belle was sweeping the snow, the three old men sat on the stone step. The first
said that she would certainly find the wild strawberries. The second said that
the gold coins would shower time she spoke. The third said that she would
marry a king.
As Belle cleared the snow, strange to say, she came upon a patch of wild
strawberries. She filled her basket full and went home joyfully. Her
stepmother and stepsister scolded her for going such a long time. But, when
she began to relate what had happened to her in the woods, a shower gold of
coins fell down. They felt greatly astonished.

Early the next morning, Tinca, dressed in a white coat of fur and with a
piece of fruit cake in the basket, set off for the three little old men in the
woods. Tinca seated herself by the stove, and began to eat her cake alone.
She refused to help them sweep the snow. When Tinca left, the three little
old men said, She is ill-mannered, rude, selfish, mean, greedy, it is better
to have several toads to her company when she gets home. At last, Tinca
went home with her empty basket. When Tinca got home, she angrily
threw off the empty basket and took off her coat of furs. But just then,
there appeared four big toads hopping around her.
The next day, the stepmother gave Belle a hammer and a bundle of
linen. She sent Belle for the frozen pond to wash the linen. Wearing only her
thin dress and without shoes, Belle went to the pond. Belle exhaustingly
pounded the layer of the ice in the pond with hammer.
Just then a young king happened to pass. He saw a girl pounding the ice
by the pond. He got off the carriage and walked towards Belle. When the king
had heard Belles sufferings, he took her cold hands and asked if she would
like to go back to the palace with him. Belle promised the young king for she
lived miserable live at home. Then they both got into the coach and went off.
The king and Belle, got married. When a year was over, the queen bore a
prince. Her stepmother and sister came to the palace too, pretending to
congratulate both her and the king.
When the king had gone out, the wicked stepmother snatched the prince
from the queen and threw her out of a window. At night when the king came
back, she told him not to disturb the queen. Early the next morning, when the
kings page boy was walking by the stream, a white duckling swam to him and
asked what her guests and the prince were doing. He replied that they were
still asleep. Knowing that her stepmother was still asleep. The duckling turned
into the queen immediately and went to the palace to have a look at her son.
Then the duckling told the page boy, Go and tell the king to take his
sword and wait for me at the entrance of the palace. Swing it over me three
times. Then I shall become the queen again. The queen told the king what her
stepmother had done to her. The king expelled the wicked woman and Tinca
from the palace. Since after, the king and the queen lived happily ever after.

~The End~

By. Monica / Class 8.6 / No. 25