In the old days there lived a king and queen in Upland, and they had one and only son. And in the neighboring kingdom the princess was growing up, the bride of the Upland prince. The children's fathers got engaged when they were children. The prince was a fine fellow, the princess was nice and pretty. Only her soul was not for needlework and housekeeping, but more for games and fun.
The Upland queen, the prince's mother, was a strict, homely woman and the first needlewoman in the entire kingdom. She spun, weaved and sewed from morning to evening. So she wanted her daughter-in-law to be as skilled as she was.
“We must first find out what this princess can do before we play the wedding,” the queen said to her husband.
- But the prince and princess love each other so much! And true love is much more valuable than yarn and linen. Remember this, my wife! - said the king.
“It’s none of your business, Your Majesty!” — the queen answered passionately. “It’s not for you to decide state affairs!”
And so, at the queen’s insistence, they took the beautiful princess to the little room, gave her half a pound of flax and ordered her to spin yarn from it.
“Just make the yarn before the dawn breaks,” the queen told her. -If you can’t cope, forget about my son!
The queen left, the princess was left alone, she was sad: no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t spin half a pound of flax yarn in one night. She walks around the upper room and does not take up work, she just keeps crying and crying bitterly. Suddenly he sees: the door opens and an old woman quietly enters the little room, so outlandish in appearance: small, hunched and wrinkled. And the old lady’s legs are big, very big.
“Peace be with you!” the old lady greets affectionately.
- And you! - the princess answers.
- Why are you, beauty, so sad? - asks the old lady.
And the princess answered her:
- How can I not be sad?! In the evening the queen ordered me to spin half a pound of linen yarn. If I don’t get it done before dawn, I won’t see my betrothed. So I’m crying because I’m so inept.
- Take comfort, beauty! - says the old woman. “The queen here didn’t know how to spin either, I taught her.” And first I’ll help you, and then I’ll teach you how to spin. Just fulfill my one wish!
The princess was delighted with her words and said:
- Ask for whatever you want, my dear aunt! I will fulfill your wish, if it is within my power.
“Okay!” said the old lady. “My name is Aunt Bigfoot.” And I don’t need anything from you, just invite me to your wedding with the prince. I haven't been to a wedding since the old queen, your future mother-in-law, stood under the aisle.
-Have it your way! — the princess agreed. “I’ll fulfill your wish, just help me!”
Aunt Bigfoot took the flax tow and went home, and the princess went to bed. But I didn’t sleep a wink all night.
Early in the morning, before dawn, the door opened and Aunt Bigfoot came into the little room. She approached the princess and handed her a large bunch of yarn, white as snow and thin as a spider's web.
Aunt Bigfoot says to the princess:
“Look, I haven’t spun such wonderful yarn since I spun for the Upland queen when she was getting ready to get married.” And I can’t remember when it was. Make sure you don't forget your promise! Goodbye!
She said it and disappeared from sight.
And the princess fell asleep in a sweet dream. Less than an hour had passed when the old queen woke her up. Stands by her bed and asks:
- Well, is the yarn ready?
“Yes,” the princess answers and immediately hands the queen the yarn.
No matter how much the queen twirled the yarn, she could not find any flaw in it. The queen praised the spinner, but the princess realized that that praise was not from the heart.
Not even a day had passed before the queen decided to test the princess in a different way. She sent yarn to the little house along with a loom and ordered the princess to weave linen from the yarn.
“You just need to make the canvas before the sun rises,” the queen told her. “If you don’t manage it, forget about my son!”
The queen left, the princess was left alone, she was sad: no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t weave a cloth out of yarn overnight. She walks around the upper room and does not take up work, she just keeps crying and crying bitterly. Suddenly he sees: the door opens and an old woman quietly enters the little room, so outlandish in appearance: small, hunched and wrinkled. And below the back - very fat.
- Peace be with you! — the old lady greets affectionately.
- And you! - answers the royal daughter.
“Why, beauty, are you sitting alone and shedding tears?” And the princess answered her:
- How can I not cry?! In the evening the queen ordered me to weave linen from yarn. If I don’t get it done before sunrise, I won’t see my betrothed. So I’m crying because I’m so inept.
“Take comfort, beauty,” says the old woman. “The queen here didn’t know how to weave either, I taught her.” And first I’ll help you, and then I’ll teach you how to weave. Just fulfill my one wish!
The princess was delighted with her words and said:
- Ask for whatever you want, my dear aunt! I will fulfill your wish, if it is within my power.
- OK! - said the old woman. - My name is Aunt Fattail. And I don’t need anything from you, just invite me to your wedding with the prince! I haven't been to a wedding since the old queen, your future mother-in-law, stood under the aisle.
“Be it your way,” agreed the princess, “I will fulfill your wish, just help me!”
Aunt Fattail took the yarn and went home, and the princess went to bed, but did not sleep a wink all night.
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the door opened and Aunt Fattail entered the little room. She approached the royal daughter and handed her a large piece of linen, white as snow and dense as animal skin.
Aunt Fattail says to the princess:
“Look, I haven’t weaved such a wonderful fabric since I weaved it for the Upland queen, when she was getting ready to get married.” And I can’t remember when it was, don’t forget about the promise! Goodbye!
She said it and disappeared from sight.
And the princess fell asleep in a sweet dream. Less than an hour had passed when the old queen woke her up. Stands by her bed and asks:
- Well, did you weave the fabric?
“Yes,” the princess answers and hands the queen the finished fabric.
No matter how much the queen twirled the fabric, she could not find any flaw in it. The queen praised the weaver, but the princess realized that that praise was not from the heart.
Not even a day had passed before the queen decided to test the princess in a different way. She sent cloth and threads with needles to the little room and ordered the princess to sew shirts for the prince from that cloth.
“We just need to sew the shirts before dawn,” the queen told her. “If you can’t cope, forget about my son.”
The queen left, the princess was left alone, she was sad: no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t sew shirts made of linen for her overnight. She walks around the upper room and does not take up work, she just keeps crying and crying bitterly. Suddenly he sees: the door opens, and an old woman quietly enters the little room, so outlandish in appearance: small, hunched and wrinkled. And the old lady’s hands are very long, especially her thumb.
- Peace be with you! — the old lady greets affectionately.
- And you! - answers the royal daughter.
“Why, beauty, are you sitting alone and shedding tears?” - asks the old lady.
- How can I not cry?! In the evening the queen ordered me to sew a shirt for the king’s son from linen. If I don’t get it done before dawn, I won’t see my betrothed. So I’m crying because I’m so inept.
- Take comfort, beauty! - says the old woman. “The queen here didn’t know how to sew either, I taught her.” And first I’ll help you, and then I’ll teach you how to sew. Just fulfill my one wish!
The princess was delighted with her words and said:
- Ask for whatever you want, my dear aunt! I will fulfill your wish if it is within my power.
- OK! - said the old woman. - My name is Aunt Dolgoruchka. And I don’t need anything from you, just invite me to your wedding with the prince. I haven't been to a wedding since the old queen, your future mother-in-law, stood under the aisle.
-Have it your way! — the princess agreed. “I will fulfill your wish, just help me!”
Aunt Dolgoruchka took the canvas and went home, and the princess went to bed. And she slept so soundly that she didn’t have any dreams.
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the door opened and Aunt Dolgoruchka entered the little room. She went up to the royal daughter, woke her up and gave her shirts - one, two, a third and another, and those shirts were skillfully sewn and embroidered with silk.
Aunt Dolgoruchka says to the princess:
“Look, I haven’t had the opportunity to sew such shirts since I sewed for the Upland queen, when she was getting married.” And I can’t remember when it was. Make sure you don't forget your promise! Goodbye!
She said it and disappeared from sight.
And the queen is already standing at the door and asking:
- Well, are the shirts ready?
“Yes,” the princess answers and hands the queen a wonderful piece of sewing.
No matter how much the queen turned the shirts, she couldn’t find any flaw in them. The queen got angry, her eyes flashed with lightning.
- Well, take the prince as your husband! I would never have thought that you were such a needlewoman and, at the same time, such an expert! - she said to the princess and left, slamming the door in frustration so that the glass in the light rattled. Apparently, the queen forgot about her younger years, about how she was getting ready to get married and didn’t know how to do anything - three aunties helped her then, and then taught her various needlework. They began to prepare for the wedding in the castle: they cooked, baked, and brewed beer. Only the princess was not very happy about her wedding day; she remembered what strange guests she had invited. But she knew that she would receive them well. Who, if not the old women, brought her happiness?
Time passes quickly, and the wedding day has arrived. The wedding is celebrated in the old fashioned way, in joy and fun. And the bride keeps looking around, looking out for her old ladies. But neither Auntie Painlegs, nor Auntie Fattail, nor Auntie Dolgoruchka are in sight.
So the guests began to sit down at the wedding table, and then the princess suddenly saw three old ladies she knew: they were sitting separately from everyone in a corner of the wedding chamber.
The king rose from the table, approached the guests and asked:
- Who are you? And what is your name? I have never seen people like you before.
One of the old women stood up and bowed to the king.
“My name is Aunt Bigfoot, and my legs are so big because I’ve done a lot of spinning in my time.” Need forced me to work without rest. Hard life has mutilated me.
- Is that so? - said the king. “So my daughter-in-law will spin in moderation.” She doesn’t have to bend her back for a piece of bread.
He turned to another old woman and asked:
- What’s your name?
Another old woman stood up and bowed to the king.
“My name is Aunt Fattail, and my butt is so big because I’ve done a lot of weaving in my time.” Need forced me to work without rest. Hard life has mutilated me.
- Is that so? - said the king. - Therefore, my daughter-in-law will weave in moderation. She doesn’t have to bend her back for a piece of bread.
He turned to the third old woman and asked:
- What’s your name?
The third old woman stood up and bowed to the king.
“My name is Aunt Dolgoruchka, and my hands are long, especially my thumb, because I’ve done too much sewing in my time.” Need forced me to work without rest. Hard life has mutilated me.
- Is that so? - said the king. - Therefore, my daughter-in-law will sew in moderation. She doesn’t have to bend her back for a piece of bread.
The wedding ended, and the aunts went home. Nobody saw where they went.
The prince and his young wife lived in happiness and contentment; their house was peaceful and calm. Over time, the young queen became as much a needlewoman as her mother-in-law. They say that the old women kept visiting her after that. They taught her all kinds of needlework, and the young queen became a good housewife. Although she worked diligently, she worked in moderation. Work was always a joy for her. So she remained stately and pretty until old age.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru