e his mother was, and told her all that
had happened, saying: "If you, dear mother, will take her as a servant,
we can try her." In short, she took her and was pleased with this woman
dressed in wood.

It happened that there were balls at that place which the best ladies
and gentlemen attended. The gentleman who had the servant dressed in
wood prepared to go to the ball, and after he had departed, the servant
said to his mother: "Do me this kindness, mistress: let me go to the
ball too, for I have never seen any dancing." "What, you wish to go to
the ball so badly dressed that they would drive you away as soon as they
saw you!" The servant was silent, and when the mistress was in bed,
dressed herself in one of her silk dresses and became the most beautiful
woman that was ever seen. She went to the ball, and it seemed as if the
sun had entered the room; all were dazzled. She sat down near her
master, who asked her to dance, and would dance with no one but her. She
pleased him so much that he fell in love with her. He asked her who she
was and where she came from. She replied that she came from a distance,
but told him nothing more.

At a certain hour, without any one perceiving it, she went out and
disappeared. She returned home and put on her wooden dress again. In the
morning the master returned from the ball, and said to his mother: "Oh!
if you had only seen what a beautiful lady there was at the ball! She
appeared like the sun, she was so beautiful and well dressed. She sat
down near me, and would not dance with any one but me." His mother then
said: "Did you not ask her who she was and where she came from?" "She
would only tell me that she came from a distance; but I thought I
should die; I wish to go again this evening." The servant heard all this
dialogue, but kept silent, pretending that the matter did not concern
her.

In the evening he prepared himself again for the ball, and the servant
said to him: "Master, yesterday evening I asked your mamma to let me,
too, go to the ball, for I have never seen dancing, but she would not;
will you have the kindness to let me go this evening?" "Be still, you
ugly creature, the ball is no place for you!" "Do me this favor," she
said, weeping, "I will stand out of doors, or under a bench, or in a
corner so no one shall see me; but let me go!" He grew angry then, and
took a stick and began to beat the poor servant. She wept and remained
silent.

After he had gone, she wait