but at last she discovered that she was homesick. Although everything here was a thousand times nicer than at home, still she had a yearning to go back.
At last she said to the old woman, ‘Although I had nothing but misery at home, and happy as I have been here, still I must go back to my own people.’
Mother Hulda said, ‘I am pleased that you ask to go home, and as you have been so faithful to me, I will take you back myself.’
She took her by the hand and led her to a great gate. The gate was opened, and as the maiden was passing through, a heavy shower of gold fell upon her, and remained sticking, so that she was covered from head to foot with it.
‘This is your reward, because you have been so industrious,’ said Mother Hulda. She also gave her back her bobbin which had fallen into the well.
Then the gate was shut, and the maiden found herself in the upper world not far from her mother’s house.
When she reached the courtyard the Cock was sitting on the well, and he cried—
Our golden maid, I see,
Has now come home to me.’
Then she went into her mother, and, as she was bedecked with gold, she was well received both by her mother and sister. The maiden told them all that had happened to her, and when her mother heard how she had got all her wealth, she wanted her ugly, lazy daughter to have the same. So she made her sit by the well and spin; and so that there should be blood upon her bobbin, she scratched her finger, and thrust her hand into a blackthorn bush. Then she threw the bobbin into the water and jumped in after it. She found herself in the same beautiful meadow, and walked along the same path.
When she reached the baker’s oven, the Loaves called out again, ‘Draw us out, draw us out, or we shall be burnt!’
