The Old Woman in the Wood

A poor servant-girl was once traveling with the family she worked for through a great forest. When they were in the middle of it, robbers came out of the bushes and killed everyone they found.

Everyone died except the girl, who had jumped out of the carriage in fright and hidden behind a tree. When the robbers had gone away with their loot, she came out and saw the terrible disaster.

Then she began to cry bitterly and said, "What can a poor girl like me do now? I don't know how to get out of the forest, no one lives here, so I will surely starve." She walked around looking for a road but could not find any.

When evening came, she sat down under a tree, put herself in God's care, and decided to wait there and not move, no matter what happened.

After she had sat there for a while, a white dove flew to her with a little golden key in its beak. It put the little key in her hand and said, "Do you see that big tree? There is a little lock in it.

This tiny key opens it, and you will find enough food there and never be hungry again." So she went to the tree and opened it. Inside she found milk in a little dish and white bread to dip in it, so she could eat until she was full.

When she was satisfied, she said, "Now it is time for the chickens at home to go to sleep. I am so tired I could go to bed too." Then the dove flew to her again and brought another golden key in its beak.

It said, "Open that tree there, and you will find a bed." So she opened it and found a beautiful white bed. She prayed to God to protect her during the night, lay down, and slept.

In the morning, the dove came for the third time and brought a little key again. It said, "Open that tree there, and you will find clothes." When she opened it, she found garments decorated with gold and jewels, more splendid than any princess's clothes. So she lived there for some time. The dove came every day and gave her everything she needed. It was a quiet, good life.

Once, however, the dove came and said, "Will you do something for me?" "With all my heart," said the girl. Then the little dove said, "I will guide you to a small house. Go inside, and there an old woman will be sitting by the fire and will say, 'Good day.' But whatever you do, do not answer her.

Let her do what she wants, but walk past her on the right side. Further in, there is a door. Open it, and you will enter a room where many rings of all kinds are lying. Some are magnificent with shining stones.

Leave them where they are and look for a plain ring, which must also be among them. Bring it here to me as quickly as you can."

The girl went to the little house and came to the door. There sat an old woman who stared when she saw her and said, "Good day, my child." The girl did not answer and opened the door.

"Where are you going?" cried the old woman, and she grabbed the girl's dress and tried to hold her fast, saying, "That is my house. No one can go in there if I do not allow it." But the girl stayed silent, got away from her, and went straight into the room.

On the table lay a huge pile of rings that gleamed and glittered before her eyes. She turned them over and looked for the plain one, but could not find it.

While she was searching, she saw the old woman sneaking away, trying to escape with a birdcage that she had in her hand. So the girl went after her and took the cage out of her hand. When she lifted it up and looked inside, there was a bird that had the plain ring in its beak. She took the ring and ran joyfully home with it. She thought the little white dove would come and get the ring, but it did not.

Then she leaned against a tree and decided to wait for the dove. As she stood there, it seemed as if the tree became soft and bendable and let its branches down. Suddenly the branches wrapped around her and turned into two arms.

When she looked around, the tree was a handsome man who embraced and kissed her warmly. He said, "You have freed me from the power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch. She turned me into a tree, and every day for two hours I was a white dove.

As long as she had the ring, I could not get my human form back." Then his servants and horses, who had also been turned into trees, were freed from the spell and stood beside him. He led them to his kingdom, for he was a king's son.

They got married and lived happily ever after.