The Spinning-Woman by the Spring


The Spinning-Woman by the Spring or "The Kind and the Unkind Girls" is a widespread, traditional folk tale, known throughout Europe and in certain regions of Asia, including Indonesia. The tale is cataloged as AT 480 in the international Folktale catalog.

Synopsis

Two stepsisters are, one after another, sent out to serve in the house of a witch, where they are assigned what appear to be difficult or impossible tasks. For instance, they are tasked to carry water with a sieve.
The kind girl, however, obeys requests from grateful animals and learns from the birds' song that she must line the sieve with clay to complete her task. Other chores they are assigned include washing black wool white, and gathering flowers at midwinter.
As payment for her household work she can choose one of three caskets, an attractive red, a common yellow or an ugly blue casket. Again she receives advice from the animals and makes the modest choice and becomes richly rewarded. Even though the unkind girl is also able to understand animal language, she refuses to follow the advice given by the birds and the help offered by other animals.

Shakespeare

The same motif is used by William Shakespeare in the play The Merchant of Venice. Act 2, Scene VII where the Prince of Morocco has to solve the riddle and find out what casket hides Portia's portrait.

Literature