ONCE upon a time there lived a mother who had two daughters. One was her own child, the other her stepdaughter. She was very fond of her own daughter, but she would not so much as look at her step-daughter. The only reason was that Maruša, the stepdaughter, was prettier than her own daughter, Holena. The gentle-hearted Maruša did not know how beautiful she was, and so she could never make out why her mother was so cross with her whenever she looked at her. She had to do all the housework, tidying up the cottage, cooking, washing, and sewing, and then she had to take the hay to the cow and look after her. She did all this work alone, while Holena spent the time adorning herself and lazing about. But Maruša liked work, for she was a patient girl, and when her mother scolded and rated her, she bore it like a lamb. It was no From that moment the stepmother and her daughter were constantly scheming how to get rid of poor Maruša. They starved her and they beat her. But she bore it all, and in spite of all she kept on growing prettier every day. They invented torments that the cruellest of men would never have thought of. One day--it was in the middle of January--Holena felt a longing for the scent of violets. "Go, Maruša, and get me some violets from the forest; I want to wear them at my waist and to smell them," she said to her sister. "Great heavens! sister. What a strange notion! Who ever heard of violets growing under the snow?" said poor Maruša. "You wretched tatterdemalion! how dare you argue when I tell you to do something? Off you go at once, and if you don't bring
The stepmother caught hold of Maruša, turned her out of the door, and slammed it to after her. She went into the forest weeping bitterly. The snow lay deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen. Maruša wandered about for a long time, tortured by hunger and trembling with cold. She begged God to take her from the world. At last she saw a light in the distance. She went towards the glow, and came at last to the top of a mountain. A big fire was burning there, and round the fire were twelve stones with twelve men sitting on them. Three of them had snow-white beards, three were not so old, and three were still younger. The three youngest were the handsomest of them all. They were not speaking, but all sitting silent. These twelve men were the twelve months. Great January sat highest of all; his hair and beard were as white as snow, and in his hand he held a club. Maruša was frightened. She stood still for a time in terror, but, growing bolder, she went up to them and said: "Please, kind Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come here, my dear little girl? What are you looking for?" "I am looking for violets," answered Maruša. "This is no time to be looking for violets, for everything is covered with snow," answered Great January. "Yes, I know; but my sister Holena and my stepmother said that I must bring them some violets from the forest. If I don't bring them, they'll kill me. Tell me, fathers, please tell me where I can find them." Great January stood up and went to one of the younger months--it was March--and, giving him the club, he said: "Brother, take the high seat." March took the high seat upon the stone and waved the club over the fire. The fire blazed up, the snow began to melt, the trees began to bud, and the ground under the young beech-trees was at once covered with grass and the crimson daisy buds began to peep through the grass. It was springtime. Under the bushes the violets were blooming Maruša picked them joyfully till she had a big bunch. Then she thanked the months with all her heart and scampered merrily home. Holena and the stepmother wondered when they saw Maruša bringing the violets. They opened the door to her, and the scent of violets filled all the cottage. "Where did you get them?" asked Holena sulkily. "They are growing under the bushes in a forest on the high mountains." Holena put them in her waistband. She let her mother smell them, but she did not say to her sister: "Smell them." Another day she was lolling near the stove, and now she longed for some strawberries. So she called to her sister and said: "Go, Maruša, and get me some strawberries from the forest." "Alas! dear sister, where could I find any
"You wretched little tatterdemalion, how dare you argue when I tell you to do a thing? Go at once and get me the strawberries, or I'll kill you!" The stepmother caught hold of Maruša and pushed her out of the door and shut it after her. Maruša went to the forest weeping bitterly. The snow was lying deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen anywhere. She wandered about for a long time, tortured by hunger and trembling with cold. At last she saw the light she had seen the other day. Overjoyed, she went towards it. She came to the great fire with the twelve months sitting round it. "Please, kind sirs, let me warm my hands at the fire. I am trembling with cold." Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come again, and what are you looking for here?" "I am looking for strawberries." "But it is winter now, and strawberries don't grow on the snow," said January. "Yes, I know," said Maruša sadly; "but my sister Holena and my stepmother bade Great January arose. He went over to the month sitting opposite to him--it was June--and handed the club to him, saying: "Brother, take the high seat." June took the high seat upon the stone and swung the club over the fire. The fire shot up, and its heat melted the snow in a moment. The ground was all green, the trees were covered with leaves, the birds began to sing, and the forest was filled with all kinds of flowers. It was summer. The ground under the bushes was covered with white starlets, the starry blossoms were turning into strawberries every minute. They ripened at once, and before Maruša had time to think, there were so many of them that it looked as though blood had been sprinkled on the ground. "Pick them at once, Maruša!" commanded June. Maruša picked them joyfully till she had filled her apron full. Then she thanked the months with all her heart and scampered "There are plenty of them growing under the young beech-trees in the forest on the high mountains." Holena took the strawberries, and went on eating them till she could eat no more. So did the stepmother too, but they didn't say to Maruša: "Here is one for you." When Holena had enjoyed the strawberries, she grew greedy for other dainties, and so on the third day she longed for some red apples. "Maruša, go into the forest and get me some red apples," she said to her sister. "Alas! sister dear, how am I to get apples for you in winter?" protested Maruša. "You wretched little tatterdemalion, how dare you argue when I tell you to do a thing? Go to the forest at once, and if you don't bring me the apples I will kill you!" threatened Holena. Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come here, and what are you looking for?" "I am looking for red apples." "It is winter now, and red apples don't grow in winter," answered January. "Yes, I know," said Maruša sadly; "but my sister and my stepmother, too, bade me bring them some red apples from the forest. If I don't bring them, they will kill me. Tell me, father, tell me, please, where I could find them." Great January rose up. He went over to Month September took the high seat upon the stone and swung the club over the fire. The fire began to burn with a red flame, the snow began to melt. But the trees were not covered with leaves; the leaves were wavering down one after the other, and the cold wind was driving them to and fro over the yellowing ground. This time Maruša did not see so many flowers. Only red pinks were blooming on the hillside, and meadow saffrons were flowering in the valley. High fern and thick ivy were growing under the young beech-trees. But Maruša was only looking for red apples, and at last she saw an apple-tree with red apples hanging high among its branches. "Shake the tree at once, Maruša!" commanded the month. Right gladly Maruša shook the tree, and one apple fell down. She shook it a second time, and another apple fell down. "Now, Maruša, run home quickly!" shouted the month. Maruša obeyed at once. She picked up "And why didn't you bring more? Or did you eat them on the way home?" said Holena harshly. "Alas! sister dear, I didn't eat a single one. But when I had shaken the tree once, one apple fell down, and when I shook it a second time, another apple fell down, and they wouldn't let me shake it again. They shouted to me to go straight home," protested Maruša. Holena began to curse her: "May you be struck to death by lightning!" and she was going to beat her. Maruša began to cry bitterly, and she prayed to God to take her to Himself, or she would be killed by her wicked sister and her stepmother. She ran away into the kitchen. Greedy Holena stopped cursing and began Her mother tried to dissuade her, but it was no good. She took her fur coat, wrapped a cloth round her head, and off she went to the forest. Her mother stood on the threshold, watching to see how Holena would manage to walk in the wintry weather. The snow lay deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen anywhere. Holena wandered about for a long time, but the desire of the sweet apple kept driving her on. At last she saw a light in the distance. She went towards it, and climbed to the top of the mountain where the big fire was burning, and round the fire on twelve stones the twelve months were sitting. She was terrified at first, but she soon recovered. SheTHE TWELVE MONTHS
