[5] ‘Giovedi grasso,’ Thursday in Carneval week, a day of a little extra feasting. [↑]
THE MISERLY OLD WOMAN.[1]
There was an old woman who had three sons, and from her stinginess she could not bear that anyone should have anything to eat. One day the eldest son came to her and said he must take a wife.
‘If you must, you must,’ replied the miserly mother. ‘But mind she is one who brings a great dowry, eats little, and can work all day long.’
The eldest son went his way and told the girl he was going to marry his mother’s hard terms. As the girl loved him very much, she made no objection, and he married her, and brought her home.[2]
The first morning the mother-in-law came before it was light, and knocked at the door, and bid the bride get up and come down to her work.
‘It is very hard for you,’ said the young husband.
‘Ah, well! I promised to submit to it before we married,’ she replied. ‘I won’t break my promise.’
So she got up and went down and helped her mother-in-law to do the work of the house. By twelve o’clock she was very hungry; but the miserly mother-in-law only took out an apple and a halfpenny roll, and gave her half of each for all her food. She took it without a murmur; and so she went on every day, working hard, and eating little, and making no complaint.