Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/450

 412 sir; I am very tired and hungry, and I am eating my dinner." The old man said: "Little girl, little girl, give me some dinner too." She said: "I have only some cake and a bottle of beer; if you like to have some of that, you may." The old man said he would; so he sat down, and they ate the cake and drank the beer all up. Then the little girl was going on further, and the old man said: "I will tell you where to seek your fortune. Go on further and further into the wood, until you come to a little old cottage where the green lady lives. Knock at the door, and when she opens it tell her you've come to seek service. She will take you in; mind you be a good girl and do all she tells you to do, and you'll come to no harm." So the little girl thanked him kindly and went on her way. Presently she came to the little cottage in the wood, and she knocked at the door. Then the door was opened by a pretty green lady, who said: "Little girl, little girl, what do you want?" "I've come to seek service, ma'am," said the little girl. "What can you do?" said the green lady. "I can bake, and I can brew, and about the house can all things do," said the little girl. "Then come in," said the green lady; and she took her into the kitchen, "Now," said she, "you must be a very good girl; sweep the house well, make the dust fly; and mind you don't look through the keyhole, or harm will befall you." The little girl swept the house well and made the dust fly. Then the green lady said: "Now go to the well and bring in a pail of nice clean water to cook the supper in. If the water isn't clear, change it and change it till it is." Then the little girl took a pail and went to the well. The first pail she drew, the water was so muddy and dirty she threw it away. The next pailful she drew, the water was a little clearer, but there was a silver fish in it. The fish said: "Little girl, little girl, wash me and comb me and lay me down softly." So she washed it and combed it and laid it down softly. Then she drew another pailful. The water was a little clearer, but there was a gold fish in it. The fish said: "Little girl, little girl, wash me and comb me and lay me down softly." So she washed it and combed it and laid it down softly. Then she drew another pailful. This was clean water, but there was still another fish who said the same thing as the others had done; so she washed this one too, combed it and laid it down softly. Then she drew another pailful, and this was quite clear and fresh. Then the three fish raised their heads and said: