Lo, as the maiden looked, she saw the coarse straw turn into beautiful
golden threads.

The little man kept so busily at work that soon all the straw was gone,
and in its place lay a heap of the finest gold.

The next morning the king unlocked the door. How his eyes sparkled at
the sight of the gold!

These riches made the king even more greedy than before.

He led the maiden to a still larger chamber, which was full of straw.

Turning to the trembling girl, he said, "There is your spinning wheel,
and here is the straw. If you do not spin all of it into gold by
morning, your head shall be cut off."

The maiden's eyes filled with tears at the sight of that huge heap of
straw. Sitting down, she began to cry.

All at once the door opened and in jumped the little old man. He took
off his pointed cap and said to the miller's daughter, "What will you
give me if I help you again, and spin this straw into gold?"

"This ring from my finger," said the maiden.

The little man took the ring, and seating himself before the spinning
wheel, began to spin.