Mother Hulda: The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm
The Story of "Mother Hulda"
There was once a widow who had two daughters; one of them was beautiful and industrious, the other was ugly and lazy. She liked the ugly, lazy one best, because she was her own daughter. The other one had all the rough work, and was made the Cinderella at home. The poor girl had to sit in the street by a well, spinning till her fingers bled.
Now one day her bobbin got some blood upon it, and she stooped down to the well to rinse it, but it fell out of her hand into the water. She cried, and ran to tell her stepmother of her misfortune.
Her stepmother scolded her violently and without mercy, and at last said, ‘If you have let the bobbin fall into the water, you must go in after it and fetch it out.’
The maiden went back to the well and did not know what to do, and in her terror she sprang into the water to try and find the bobbin.
She lost consciousness, and when she came to herself she was in a beautiful meadow dotted with flowers, and the sun was shining brightly. She walked on till she came to a baker’s oven full of bread; the Loaves called out to her, ‘Oh, draw us out, draw us out, or we shall burn! We are over-baked already!’
So she went up and drew them out one by one with a baker’s shovel.
Then she went a little further, and came to an Apple-tree covered with apples, which called out to her. ‘Oh, shake us down, shake us down, we are over-ripe!’
So she shook the tree, and the apples fell like rain. She shook till there were no more left, and when she had gathered them all into a heap, went on her way.
At last she came to a little house, out of which an old woman was looking. She had very large teeth, and the maiden was so frightened that she wanted to run away.
But the old woman called her, and said, ‘What are you afraid of, dear child? Stay with me, and if you can do all kinds of housework well, I shall be very pleased. But you must be very particular how you make my bed; it must be thoroughly shaken, so that the feathers fly, then it snows in the world. I am Mother Hulda.’ [1]
As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, she took heart and agreed to stay, and she began her duties at once.
She did everything to the old woman’s satisfaction, and shook up the bed with such a will, that the feathers flew about like snow. So she led a very happy life; she had no hard words, but good food, both roast and boiled, every day.
Now after she had been some time with Mother Hulda, she grew sad. At first she did not know what was the matter, 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—
‘Cock-a-doodle-doo,
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!’
Then the lazy girl answered, ‘I should soil my fingers,’ and went on.
Soon she came to the Apple-tree, and the apples cried, ‘Shake us down, shake us down! We are all ripe!’
‘A fine business indeed,’ she answered. ‘One of you might fall upon my head.’ And she passed on.When she came to Mother Hulda’s house, she was not afraid of her big teeth, as she had heard all about them, and she immediately hired herself to the old woman. The first day she made a great effort; she was industrious, and obeyed the orders Mother Hulda gave her, for she thought of all the gold. But on the second day even, she began to be lazy, and on the third she was still more so. She would not get up in the morning, nor did she make Mother Hulda’s bed as she ought; nor shake it till the feathers came out.
Mother Hulda soon grew tired of this, and discharged her.
The lazy girl was well enough pleased to go, and thought now the shower of gold would come.
Mother Hulda conducted her to the same gate; but when she passedthrough, a shower of pitch fell upon her, instead of a shower of gold.
‘That is the reward for your service,’ said Mother Hulda, as she shut the gate behind her.
So the lazy girl went home, but she was quite covered with pitch; and when the Cock on the well saw her, he cried—
‘Cock-a-doodle-doo,
Our dirty maid, I see,
Has now come home to me.’
The pitch stuck to her as long as she lived; she could never get rid of it.
- According to a Hessian legend, when it snows, Mother Hulda is making her bed.
The Story of "Mother Hulda"
- Grimm's Fairy Tales -
The Moral Lesson of "Mother Hulda" by the Brothers Grimm
The fairy tale "Mother Hulda" by the Brothers Grimm is a timeless story that carries profound moral lessons about the values of hard work, kindness, and the consequences of one’s actions. Through the contrasting fates of two sisters—one industrious and kind, the other lazy and selfish—this story offers valuable insights into the virtues of diligence and the importance of having a good heart.
1. The Rewards of Hard Work and Kindness
The first sister, who is hardworking and kind, is unjustly treated at home, where she is forced to do all the rough work. Despite her difficult circumstances, she remains industrious and pure-hearted. When she accidentally loses her bobbin in the well and ends up in Mother Hulda's realm, she continues to exhibit her virtues by helping the bread from burning and the apples from spoiling. Her willingness to help others, even when there is no immediate benefit to herself, exemplifies the value of selflessness.
Mother Hulda rewards her for her diligence and kindness by showering her with gold, symbolizing the blessings that come to those who are industrious and have a good heart. This part of the story teaches that true wealth and happiness are often the results of consistent hard work and a generous spirit.
2. The Consequences of Laziness and Selfishness in the Story of "Mother Hulda"
In contrast, the lazy and selfish sister, motivated by greed, tries to replicate her sister’s success without putting in the same effort. She refuses to help the bread and the apples, showing that she only cares about herself and her own convenience. Her laziness and disregard for others ultimately lead to her downfall.
When the time comes for her reward, instead of receiving gold, she is covered in pitch—a sticky, unpleasant substance that she can never remove. This symbolizes the lasting consequences of negative behavior. The story suggests that those who are lazy, selfish, and only seek personal gain without putting in the necessary effort will not achieve success, but rather face unfavorable outcomes.
3. The Importance of Genuine Effort
Another key lesson from "Mother Hulda" is that genuine effort is necessary for success. The lazy sister's initial attempts to mimic her sister’s behavior are half-hearted and insincere, revealing that she is only interested in the reward and not in doing the work properly. This reinforces the idea that shortcuts and superficial efforts will not lead to lasting rewards.
Conclusion
"Mother Hulda" serves as a powerful reminder that the values of hard work, kindness, and sincerity are essential for a fulfilling and successful life. The contrasting fates of the two sisters illustrate that good character and effort are ultimately rewarded, while laziness and selfishness lead to negative consequences. Through this tale, the Brothers Grimm impart a timeless message: our actions define our destiny, and the virtues we cultivate will shape the outcomes we experience.
