Vrouw Holle

Mother Hulda

Once upon a time there was a woman who had two daughters: Hennie and Hanneke.
Hennie was lazy and disinterested. Hanneke was kind and eager.

One afternoon Hanneke was secretly sitting by the fountain and crying.
She was working on a spinning wheel.
Because of the tears, she didn't really see what she was doing and ... Oh dear!
One of the bobbins of the spinning wheel slipped from her hands and fell into the well.
Hanneke looked into the well, lost her balance and fell into it.
She came to a beautiful meadow. There was a bakery at the edge of the meadow.
When Hanneke passed by, she heard hundreds of voices. "Take us, take us,
otherwise we will burn here. ”These were the breads that were being baked in the oven.
She took the loaves out of the oven and then went on.
A little further on was a tree. "Girl, pick my apples, my branches are so heavy!"
“Of course,” said Hanneke and helped the tree.
Then she came to a house. "Hello, I'm Frau Holle, won't you be with me for a while
stay with me I can use a lot of help. "
Hanneke decided to help the woman too. “You have to knock out my bed well every day.
So strong that the feathers fly around. When that happens, it will snow somewhere on earth. "

After a while, Hanneke got homesick and went home again.
As a reward for her care and help, she was overloaded with gold.
Her mother was very happy that Hanneke was back home, but her lazy sister was jealous.
The next day, Hennie decided that she could jump into the well too.
If it was that easy to get hold of gold! But will a lazy girl like her be the one
get the same reward from Mrs. Holle?