here is your spindle that fell into the spring."

Then the gate was closed, and the maiden found herself once more in the
world.

She was not far from her own home, and as she came into the farmyard, a
cock on the roof cried loudly:

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Our golden lady has come home, too."


MOTHER FROST--II

When the stepmother saw the girl with her golden dress, she was kind to
her. Then the maiden told how the gold had fallen upon her.

The mother could hardly wait to have her own child try her luck in the
same way.

This time she made the idle daughter go to the spring and spin.

The lazy girl did not spin fast enough to make her fingers bleed.

So she pricked her finger with a thorn until a few drops of blood
stained the spindle.

At once she let it drop into the water, and sprang in after it herself.