the toe; when you are Queen you won’t have to walk any more.’
The girl cut off her toe, forced her foot into the slipper, stifled her pain, and went out to the Prince. Then he took her up on his horse as his Bride, and rode away with her.
However, they had to pass the grave on the way, and there sat the two Doves on the hazel-tree, and cried:
There’s blood on the track,
The shoe is too small,
At home the true Bride is waiting thy call.’
Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was streaming from it. So he turned his horse round and carried the false Bride back to her home, and said that she was not the right one; the second sister must try the shoe.
Then she went into the room, and succeeded in getting her toes into the shoe, but her heel was too big.
Then her Mother handed her a knife, and said, ‘Cut a bit off your heel; when you are Queen you won’t have to walk any more.’
The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, stifled her pain, and went out to the Prince.
Then he took her up on his horse as his Bride, and rode off with her.
As they passed the grave, the two Doves were sitting on the hazel-tree, and crying:
There’s blood on the track,
The shoe is too small,
At home the true Bride is waiting thy call.’
He looked down at her foot and saw that it was streaming with blood, and there were deep red spots on her stockings. Then he turned his horse and brought the false Bride back to her home.
