The Spindle, The Shuttle, and the Needle

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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There was once a girl whose father and mother died while she was stilla little child. All alone, in a small house at the end of the village,dwelt her godmother, who supported herself by spinning, weaving, andsewing. The old woman took the forlorn child to live with her, kept herto her work, and educated her in all that is good. When the girl wasfifteen years old, the old woman became ill, called the child to herbedside, and said, "Dear daughter, I feel my end drawing near. I leavethee the little house, which will protect thee from wind and weather,and my spindle, shuttle, and needle, with which thou canst earn thybread." Then she laid her hands on the girl's head, blessed her, andsaid, "Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go wellwith thee." Thereupon she closed her eyes, and when she was laid in theearth, the maiden followed the coffin, weeping bitterly, and paid herthe last mark of respect. And now the maiden lived quite alone in thelittle house, and was industrious, and span, wove, and sewed, and theblessing of the good old woman was on all that she did. It seemed asif the flax in the room increased of its own accord, and whenever shewove a piece of cloth or carpet, or had made a shirt, she at once founda buyer who paid her amply for it, so that she was in want of nothing,and even had something to share with others.

　　About this time, the son of the King was travelling about the countrylooking for a bride. He was not to choose a poor one, and did not wantto have a rich one. So he said, "She shall be my wife who is the poorest,and at the same time the richest." When he came to the village where themaiden dwelt, he inquired, as he did wherever he went, who was the richestand also the poorest girl in the place? They first named the richest;the poorest, they said, was the girl who lived in the small house quiteat the end of the village. The rich girl was sitting in all her splendourbefore the door of her house, and when the prince approached her, she gotup, went to meet him, and made him a low curtsey. He looked at her, saidnothing, and rode on. When he came to the house of the poor girl, she wasnot standing at the door, but sitting in her little room. He stopped hishorse, and saw through the window, on which the bright sun was shining,the girl sitting at her spinning-wheel, busily spinning. She looked up,and when she saw that the prince was looking in, she blushed all over herface, let her eyes fall, and went on spinning. I do not know whether, justat that moment, the thread was quite even; but she went on spinning untilthe King's son had ridden away again. Then she went to the window, openedit, and said, "It is so warm in this room!" but she still looked afterhim as long as she could distinguish the white feathers in his hat. Thenshe sat down to work again in her own room and went on with her spinning,and a saying which the old woman had often repeated when she was sittingat her work, came into her mind, and she sang these words to herself,—-

　　"Spindle, my spindle, haste, haste thee away,

　　And here to my house bring the wooer, I pray."

　　And what do you think happened? The spindle sprang out of her hand inan instant, and out of the door, and when, in her astonishment, she gotup and looked after it, she saw that it was dancing out merrily into theopen country, and drawing a shining golden thread after it. Before long,it had entirely vanished from her sight. As she had now no spindle,the girl took the weaver's shuttle in her hand, sat down to her loom,and began to weave.

　　The spindle, however, danced continually onwards, and just as thethread came to an end, reached the prince. "What do I see?" he cried;"the spindle certainly wants to show me the way!" turned his horse about,and rode back with the golden thread. The girl was, however, sitting ather work singing,

　　"Shuttle, my shuttle, weave well this day,

　　And guide the wooer to me, I pray."

　　Immediately the shuttle sprang out of her hand and out by the door. Beforethe threshold, however, it began to weave a carpet which was morebeautiful than the eyes of man had ever yet beheld. Lilies and rosesblossomed on both sides of it, and on a golden ground in the centregreen branches ascended, under which bounded hares and rabbits, stagsand deer stretched their heads in between them, brightly-coloured birdswere sitting in the branches above; they lacked nothing but the giftof song. The shuttle leapt hither and thither, and everything seemed togrow of its own accord.

　　As the shuttle had run away, the girl sat down to sew. She held theneedle in her hand and sang,

　　"Needle, my needle, sharp-pointed and fine,

　　Prepare for a wooer this house of mine."

　　Then the needle leapt out of her fingers, and flew everywhere aboutthe room as quick as lightning. It was just as if invisible spiritswere working; they covered tables and benches with green cloth in aninstant, and the chairs with velvet, and hung the windows with silkencurtains. Hardly had the needle put in the last stitch than the maidensaw through the window the white feathers of the prince, whom the spindlehad brought thither by the golden thread. He alighted, stepped over thecarpet into the house, and when he entered the room, there stood themaiden in her poor garments, but she shone out from within them like arose surrounded by leaves. "Thou art the poorest and also the richest,"said he to her. "Come with me, thou shalt be my bride." She did notspeak, but she gave him her hand. Then he gave her a kiss, led her forth,lifted her on to his horse, and took her to the royal castle, where thewedding was solemnized with great rejoicings. The spindle, shuttle, andneedle were preserved in the treasure-chamber, and held in great honour.

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