Soon they were all at work, and no one was awkward or grew tired, for the wheels and looms were enchanted; so, though the boys and girls knew nothing of the matter when they began, they obeyed the old lady, who said,—
"A good will
Giveth skill,"
and presently were spinning and weaving, reeling and sewing, as if they had done nothing else all their lives.
Many days they worked, with long play spells between, and at last there lay a hundred wonderful pinafores before their eyes. Each was white as snow, smooth as satin, and all along the hem there shone a child-name curiously woven in gold or silver thread. But the charm of these "pinnies," as the children called them, was that they would never tear, get soiled, or wear out, but always remain as white and smooth and new as when first made, for they were woven of fairy flax. Another fine thing was that whoever wore one would grow gentle and good, for the friendly little weavers and spinners had put so much love and good-will into their work that it got into the pinafores and would never come out, but shone in the golden border, and acted like a charm on the childish hearts the aprons covered.
Very happy were the little people as they saw the pile grow higher and higher, for they knew what they were doing, and wondered who would wear each one.
"Now," said the god-mother, "which of my good children shall go to the city and sell our pinnies?"
"Send Babie, she is the best and has worked harder than all the rest," answered the children, and little Barbara quite blushed to be so praised.
"Yes, she shall go," said the god-mother, as she began to lay the aprons in a little old-fashioned basket.
As soon as the children saw it, they gathered about it like a swarm of bees, exclaiming,—
"See! see! it is Red Riding-Hood's little basket in which she carried the pot of butter. Dear grandma, where did you get it?"