Toads and Diamonds

Narrated by Sharon Blumberg

A BAD-TEMPERED widow had two daughters. The eldest was like her mother, both in looks and pesonality, while the youngest resembled her father. She was sweet-natured always, and as pretty as she was friendly.

The widow doted on the daughter who was so like herself, but had no love for the other, whom she forced to work hard all day, and to live upon the left-overs of her elder sister. Among her other hard jobs, she was obliged to carry water every day from a great distance.

One day when she had just filled her pitcher at the fountain, an old woman asked to drink from it. “With all my heart,” replied the pretty girl. Glad to show a kindness to one old and infirm, she held the pitcher while the woman quenched her thirst.

Now, this was not a trembling old peasant, as she appeared, but a fairy who rewarded good deeds. “Your face is pretty and your heart is gentle,” said she. “For your kindness to a poor old woman, I will make you a gift. Every time you speak, from your mouth shall come a flower or a jewel.”

When the girl reached home her mother scolded her for her long absence. “Pardon me for being away so long,” she sweetly replied. As she spoke some pearls and diamonds issued from her lips.

“What is this I see, child?” asked the astonished widow.

The forlorn girl was so happy to be called child by her mother that she eagerly told of her experience with the old woman at the fountain, while, with her words, dropped precious stones and roses. The widow immediately called her favorite daughter to her.

“Fanny, would you like to have the same gift as your sister?” asked she. “Go to the fountain and fetch water. And if an old woman asks you for a drink, mind you treat her politely.”

The girl refused to perform the menial task, until the widow lost patience and drove her to it. Finally, she took the silver tankard and grudgingly obeyed. No sooner was she at the fountain than from the wood came a lady most beautifully dressed, who asked the snobbish girl for a drink from her pitcher.

“I have not come here to serve you,” she rudely replied, “but take the pitcher and help yourself, for all I care. I would have you know that I am as good as you.”

The lady was the fairy, who had taken the appearance of a princess to see how far the girl’s rudeness would go. “I will make you a gift,” she said, “to equal your rudeness and bad manners. Every time you speak, there shall come from your mouth a snake or a toad.”

The girl ran home to her mother, who met her at the door. “Well, daughter,” she said, impatient to hear her speak. When she opened her mouth, to the mother’s horror, two vipers and two toads sprang from it. “This is the fault of your wretched sister,” the unhappy mother cried, and chased the poor younger sister out of the house. She fled to the forest to escape the cruel blows. When she was past pursuit, she threw herself upon the green grass and wept bitterly.

The King’s son, returning from the hunt, found her like this and asked the cause of her tears.

“My mother has driven me from my home,” she told him. She was so pretty that he fell in love with her at once, and asked her to tell him more. She then related to him the whole story, while pearls and diamonds kept falling from her lips. Enchanted, he took her to the King, who gave his consent to their immediate marriage.

- Total nr. of readings: 18,019 Copyright © The author [2020] All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author except for personal use.