, said:

'Take this boot which has a hole in the sole, hang it up on a nail in
the hayloft, and pour water into it. If it holds water I will marry
again, but if it doesn't I won't.' The girl did as she was bid, but the
water drew the hole together and the boot filled up to the very top. So
she went and told her father the result. He got up and went to see for
himself, and when he saw that it was true and no mistake, he accepted
his fate, proposed to the widow, and they were married at once.

On the morning after the wedding, when the two girls awoke, milk was
standing for the man's daughter to wash in and wine for her to drink;
but for the woman's daughter, only water to wash in and only water to
drink. On the second morning, water to wash in and water to drink was
standing for the man's daughter as well. And on the third morning, water
to wash in and water to drink was standing for the man's daughter, and
milk to wash in and wine to drink for the woman's daughter; and so it
continued ever after. The woman hated her stepdaughter from the bottom
of her heart, and did all she could to make her life miserable. She was
as jealous as she could possibly be, because the girl was so beautiful
and charming, while her own daughter was both ugly and repulsive.

One winter's day when there was a hard frost, and mountain and valley
were covered with snow, the woman made a dress of paper, and calling the
girl to her said:

'There, put on this dress and go out into the wood and fetch me a basket
of strawberries!'

'Now Heaven help us,' replied her stepdaughter; 'strawberries don't
grow in winter; the earth is all frozen and the snow has covered up
everything; and why send me in a paper dress? it is so cold outside that
one's very breath freezes; the wind will whistle through my dress, and
the brambles tear it from my body.'

'How dare you contradict me!' said her stepmother; 'be off with you at
once, and don't show your face again till you have filled the basket
with strawberries.'

Then she gave her a hard crust of bread, saying:

'That will be enough for you to-day,' and she thought to herself: 'The
girl will certainly perish of hunger and cold outside, and I shan't be
bothered with her any more.'

The girl was so obedient that she put on the paper dress and set out
with her little basket. There was nothing but snow far and near, and not
a green blade of grass to be seen anywhere. When she came to the wood
she saw a littl