Good evening, children. It's Granny McDuff, ready with a story. So make yourselves comfy,

and I'll begin.

Once upon a time, there lived a widow who had two daughters. The elder of the two, called Fanny, was so like her mother in both nature and appearance that she was often mistaken for her. Both mother and daughter, however, was so arrogant and disagreeable that no one could stand to live with them. The younger daughter, who was called Lily, took after her father.

She was gentle and one of the kindest girls the town had ever seen.

Her mother doted on her elder daughter and disliked her younger girl very much.

In fact, she made Lily live in the kitchen

and clean from morning till night. One of the poor girl's duties was to walk twice a day to a

spring where she would draw water and carry it all the way back to the house. One day, when the girl was filling her bucket at the spring, an old woman

approached and begged for a drink. Of course you may, Lily replied. She drew water from the

cleanest part of the spring and lifted the bucket for the old woman so that she may sip more easily.

What the girl did not know was that this old woman was really a fairy.

She had disguised herself in the form of a poor old village woman to test how naturally

good-natured and kind the girl truly was.

You are so lovely, said the woman, and so kind, I should like to give you a gift.

With every word you speak, there shall fall either a flower or a precious stone from your mouth.

Lily reached home just after dark.

Her mother waited by the door and scolded her for being late.

Why must I wait so long for fresh water?

It does not take that long to walk the mile to the spring?

She screeched.

I am sorry for taking so horribly long, Mother.

Lily replied. And when she spoke, three roses, three rubies, and three diamonds fell from her mouth.

...