'Good evening, my child. Would that everyone was as polite as you.
Are you in search of anything?'

'I am in search of a place,' replied the girl; and the woman smiled and
said:

'Then stop a little while and comb my hair, and you shall tell me all
the things you can do.'

'Willingly, mother,' answered the girl. And she began combing out the
old woman's hair, which was long and white.

Half an hour passed in this way, and then the old woman said:

'As you did not think yourself too good to comb me, I will show you
where you may take service. Be prudent and patient and all will go
well.'

So the girl thanked her, and set out for a farm at a little distance,
where she was engaged to milk the cows and sift the corn.

As soon as it was light next morning the girl got up and went into the
cow-house. 'I'm sure you must be hungry,' said she, patting each in
turn. And then she fetched hay from the barn, and while they were
eating it, she swept out the cow-house, and strewed clean straw upon
the floor. The cows were so pleased with the care she took of them
that they stood quite still while she milked them, and did not play any
of the tricks on her that they had played on other dairymaids who were
rough and rude. And when she had done, and was going to get up from