Like her sister, she came to the beautiful meadow and traveled the same path. When she came to the bake oven, the bread called, “Draw me out! Draw me out!” But the lazy maid said, “I have no wish to make myself dirty with you!”
Soon she came to the apple tree. The tree cried out, “Shake me! shake me! My apples are ripe.” But the maid said, “I will not shake you. Your apples might fall on my head.” She was not afraid of old Mother Frost, for she had heard of her large teeth. She promised to serve her as her sister had done.
The first day she worked hard because she thought of the gold. The second day she began to grow careless. The third day she did not get up until noon. Mother Frost said, “I think you are tired of working for me. You had better go home.” The lazy maid was very glad; for she thought, “Now, I will get my gold!”
Mother Frost led her also to the door; but, as she stood within the doorway, instead of gold there was a shower of pitch. “This is the reward for your service,” said Mother Frost, and closed the door. As the lazy maid came home the cock cried, “Cock—a—doodle—do! Our dirty maid comes home again.” The pitch stuck to her as long as she lived.
Suggestions.
Explain oven, pitch.
Talk about the industrious maid and her reward. The idle and dishonest one and her punishment. Who was rewarded in “The Stardollar” story? Who was punished in “The Seven Little Goats”? In “Red Riding Hood”?
