her hair, she thought she became wiser. She lived alone because she was not only a rich mistress but also a wicked witch. She didn’t want people to know she was a witch. In fact, she didn’t like people at all. She could put a jinx on somebody, hoodoo or even bedevil people. That is why she built the most impenetrable wall between her and people – the wall of lies, evil and stupidity.
The girl asked her to allow her to stay overnight. The lady let her in but first of all ordered her to clean the house, to cook some food and to sweep up the yard. She was very lazy and unkept. When she started to clean the house, it got even more chaotic after that.
The youngest sister was very hard-working and behaved well. During her life in the father’s house, she learned a lot of things: wash, cook and keep the house clean. She knew how to do everything quickly and well. The elder sisters didn’t like to work. They were more worried about the wooers, so they spent their days looking out of the windows afraid to miss their happiness. All the housework was the youngest sister’s responsibility, that’s why the orphan was used to the hard work.
The girl did everything she was told quickly and well. She swept up the yard with the broom, cooked a lot of food and even repaired the porch of the house.
The lady saw it all and said:
«You are a smart and hard-working girl. I think I’ll let you to live with me. You will be my housemaid. You will take care of me and entertain me. And if you do something wrong, I will lock you in the closet. It is so dark in there, and there are lots of huge hungry rats. If they don’t eat you overnight, they’ll bite you all over for sure. And if you decide to run, I will find you anyway because I’m a witch and I know lots of things. So, abide. You will work for me all your life! If you abide to my kindness and favor, you will live. Otherwise, I’ll simply rot you!»
The youngest sister burst into ears but nothing doing, she had to stay. She had nowhere to go. She had no one to help or support her. Her own sisters chased her from her father’s house, and her father died. That’s why she had nothing to do but abide and stay with the lady-witch.
Thus, the girl started to work over the palace night and day. She had to please her wicked mistress and follow all her whims. For example, the lady invented special tasks for the girl. The orphan did everything quick and well. The witch saw the girl did everything, sneaked up and spoiled everything. And after that she scolded the poor housemaid threatening her with the closet full of rats.
One day the wicked witch hurt the poor girl so much with her criticism, shouts, and abuse that the little housemaid returned to her small cell and burst into tears.
«I am so poor, and nobody loves me! Nobody wants a poor orphan. Now I have to live with the wicked witch and suffer all my life. I will never marry, never have children. All I will have been pokes and clouts from the mean old witch! And she will give me to the rats eventually. So, my life will end without even having started!»
Suddenly she heard a human voice – it was the white dove in the cage:
«Don’t cry my young mistress; don’t be so sad and frustrated. I can help you.»
The girl was surprised but didn’t wipe her tears.
«How could you help? You are so small and weak.»
«Don’t look at my small body. Small kindness is always stronger than any big evil. Hang a tiny silver bell on my neck and let me out of the cage. I’ll invent something to get you out of this mess.»
The orphan listened to the dove. She tied a small silver bell to the dove’s neck and let her out of the window.
«Ding Ding-a-ling,» the silver bell rings.
The white dove flew to the witch’s bedroom and sat on the window.
«Good morning, my fair lady, good morning beauty! How very beautiful and pretty you are! There is no other woman in this world more beautiful than you.»
The witch was pleased with such words. She loved herself very much, and she thought herself to be the prettiest and the loveliest woman in the world. She looked in the mirror: turned her right side, twisted her left side, jerked her shoulders, and bowed her head. Then fell to the pillows filled with down and sighed heavily:
«You tell the truth, stupid bird. But what is the good of the fact I’m so beautiful? Men don’t even know what a beauty is wasted for nothing! I have nobody to admire my prettiness. Nobody to pray over my magnitude. Nobody to worship my feet.»
«I can find you a young prince, handsome and brave. I have one in view actually. He wants to marry for a very long time, but he couldn’t find a decent wife. He wants somebody as graceful and regal as you. But first you have to coax him and to lure him to your palace. And then you know what to do, how to seduce, hitch up and bewitch a man. I’m not qualified to teach you this art.»
«You lie, you feathery gossipmonger!» The witch did not believe the dove, but her eyes lit up, she got up all excited. «Are there still any wooers worthy of my beauty?»
The white dove described the young prince in all details, told her about his exploits and braveness. And when she told her of his fortune, the greedy witch had no doubts that wooer was really worthy of her incredible beauty. She was even surprised such a man was not her husband yet.
«Tell your housemaid to bake tasty pies and sweet cookies,» the dove continued. «Then send her with these gifts to the prince. Let her leave it all at the doors to his palace in secret so that nobody can see her. I will do the rest.»
The orphan was young but a very good cook. She was so good at it, and her cooking was so tasty, even the witch had to admit she had never seen such a good cook.
The sun hadn’t risen yet when the old lady woke up the girl and ordered her to bake a lot of tasty gifts. Then she gave her a horse and sent her to the place indicated by the white dove. At that she ordered strictly to leave all the gifts in secret at the doors of the prince’s palace and get back as soon as possible.
The housemaid was shy and obedient. She did everything she was told and was back by the evening.
And the white dove, when the girl left the gifts at the doors of the prince’s palace, flew down, sat on the hanaper’s handle, and started to ring the little silver bell.
«Ding-a-ling Ding-a-ling,» the silver bell rings.
«Come, my fair prince, come to the porch. Look at all the wonderful gifts, at the glorious treats.»
The owner of the palace has heard the bell and the dove’s voice. He opened the door and saw lots of hanapers all full of cookies and pies. On one of the hanapers there was a white dove with a silver bell on her neck who told him in a soft voice:
«Over the blue river near the Silver Wood there lives a beautiful lady. She sends you these wonderful gifts. She would like to treat you with her own cooking. Please, prince, be so kind and taste what she had cooked for you. If you like it, please, come and visit her. She will be happy to see you in her palace. She will receive you as a noble and decent man. You will never regret it, and you will always remember it.»
Thus, the bird said then flew up and disappeared.
The prince took the hanapers and go back to his palace. As he tasted the pies and the cookies, he loved them so much he ate everything to the last crumb. The orphan was a very skillful cook. He wanted to vault into the saddle instantly and go to the Silver Wood but could not. He ate so much he just couldn’t get off the table. So, he decided to visit the lady the next time and to thank her for all the wonderful treats as he should as a prince.
In the evening the white dove flew to the windowsill of the old lady’s bedroom