March stood up and waved his wand over the fire. The fire and the circle of old men disappeared. March and the girl were standing in a field and the air was fragrant with the breath of early Spring. March said, “Daughter look down at your feet, and gather as many violets as you wish!”
As Dobrunka looked, all about her the field was purple with violets. She stooped down and gathered a great handful of them.
When she came back to the house and entered the door, Katinka saw her, and said, “Yes, I knew you could bring them, you were just pretending that you could not.” And, the perfume of the violets filled the whole house.
Some days after Katinka came again to Dobrunka, and said:
“Dobrunka, I want some strawberries, red and fresh from the fields.”
“There sat twelve old men”
Dobrunka said, “Why sister, how strangely you talk. This is not the time for strawberries; it is mid-winter. But Katinka said: “Obey me, you said there were no violets the other day; you brought them,—go, bring me some strawberries or I will beat you to a jelly.”
With that she pushed her out of the door and the stepmother helped her bar the door.