The Diligent Girl and the Lazy Girl

It was a story of the the Diligent Girl whose father married the Lazy Girl’s Mother. The
Stepmother sent the Diligent Girl away to find a job and make some money. She came across
a tree who asked her to clean off the dried twigs from the branches off.

The Diligent Girl happily did what was requested, and then went on her way.

She then saw another tree on the vineyard, who also asked her to clean off the twigs. Even
though it was hard and she was exhausted, she still did as she was told.

Afterwards. she saw an old cracked oven who asked her help to clean and fix him up.

As she walked on, she saw a dirty dog who asked for her help to clean him up. Even though
she needed to get wet and dirty, the Diligent Girl did what she was told.

Then she came upon a fairy’s house who offered her a job to clean the house for one year.
The fairies said, “There are seven rooms in this house. You need to clean 6 of them, and you
must never ever enter the 7th room.”

The Diligent Girl did what she was told.

And at the end of the year, she told the fairies she wanted to go home. The fairies opened the
7th room and inside was full of gold and silver.

The fairy told her to sleep on top of the gold and silver. Anything that stuck to her dress is
now hers, as payment for her year of hard work. This was her reaction as what her reaction
every time somebody gave her an instruction:

Many gold and silver coins stuck to her body.

When she woke up, she bid adieu to her fairy employers and started her journey home. When
she reached the river, she came upon the dog whom she has helped clean before. The dog led
her to a place where there was a pile of gems and jewels. The dog asked her to help herself
with the jewelry and to take as much as she want.

The Diligent Girl helped herself and went on her way.

She then came across the Well who asked her to help herself with fresh water. As she was
thirsty, she did. And then went on her way.

She then came across her old friend, the now repaired oven, who offered her delicious bread
that was freshly baked. Since she was hungry, the Diligent Girl helped herself to the lovely
bread, and then went on her way:

She then came across the old tree by the vineyard. The old tree offered her the delicious wife
to satiate her thirst.
Afterwards, she came across the tree who has borne some beautiful crunchy apples. The tree
offered for her to help herself to as, and she did. She ate some of the delicious fruit and
packed some for home.

Soon she reached home. The house rooster and called out, “The mistress is home! Look, how
much gems and coins with her!”

This made the wife very angry and said that her dirty could earn more. The mother sent the
daughter to find work and earn a lot of money.

The Lazy Girl went off to look some work and came across the old tree, who was once again
dry. Just like what happened with the Diligent Girl, the old tree asked for her to clean off the
dried twigs. To this, the Lazy Girl replied:

The Lazy Girl ignored the pleas of the Dried Old Tree and walked ahead.

She then came across the Tree from the Vineyard, who asked her to clean the twigs. “Girl,
can you help me?”  the tree said.

The Lazy Girl replied, “No, I have to find work and make money. I have no time to help
you.”

She then went and came across the broken oven. The oven asked for her help to which the
lazy girl replied,

She now approached the well who asked for her help to clean her. “Cleaning you will tire me
and I don’t want to get tired.”

The little dirty dog approached her and asked her for help to give him a bath and trim his hair.

“If I touch you, I will be dirty! Look at all the flies in your hair!”

After some time, she came upon the fairies’ house, went in and asked for work.

Similar to the Diligent Girl, the fairies offered her work for a year, but warned her not to
enter the 7th room. “You must clean all 6 of them, but you must never ever enter the room.”

The girl agreed and started working for the fairies. For a few days, she did as told. But one
day, she decided to sneak into the seventh room. The room was dark but she went in anyway.

The door closed behind her. And bugs and insects attacked her and bit her everywhere.

“I told you not to enter the 7th room!” the fairies called out. She ran out bleeding and bruised,
unhappy to stay for another second.

She came across the dog and asked for its help.

“You never helped me,” the dog said. “Why should I help you now?”
She ran and was thirsty when she came upon the old well. She reached out to get the water
but the well took away all its waters.

It said, “When I asked for your help, you refused. I cannot help you now. Go away!”

Disappointed, the Lazy Girl went away. She walked until she came upon the oven. But the
oven chased her away with its flames. “You refused to help me when I needed your help, I
will not help you now. Go away!”

The girl continued her journey home. She was hungry, thirsty and tired.

She reached the vineyard hoping to get some vine. She reached out but the old vine did not
let her touch anything. The girl was forced to leave the vineyard and go on.

The Lazy Girl came upon the old tree. The tree had a lot of fruits.

When the Lazy Girl reached out for the fruits, the old tree told her, “You did not want to
spoil your hands when I needed your help. You cannot have any of my fruits now. Go away!”

The girl walked home. As she approached the house, the rooster saw her and said that she
was covered with blood and dirty.

The woman saw her beloved daughter in her poor state. She turned to her husband, “I agree.
My daughter did not make any money. It is your daughter who made all the money.”

The man was so upset with the woman’s terrible treatment of his daughter so he threw both
her and her daughter away.