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The orphan was young but a very good cook. She was so good at it, and her cooking was so tasty, even the witch had to admit she had never seen such a good cook.
The sun hadn’t risen yet when the old lady woke up the girl and ordered her to bake a lot of tasty gifts. Then she gave her a horse and sent her to the place indicated by the white dove. At that she ordered strictly to leave all the gifts in secret at the doors of the prince’s palace and get back as soon as possible.
The housemaid was shy and obedient. She did everything she was told and was back by the evening.
And the white dove, when the girl left the gifts at the doors of the prince’s palace, flew down, sat on the hanaper’s handle, and started to ring the little silver bell.
«Ding-a-ling Ding-a-ling,» the silver bell rings.
«Come, my fair prince, come to the porch. Look at all the wonderful gifts, at the glorious treats.»
The owner of the palace has heard the bell and the dove’s voice. He opened the door and saw lots of hanapers all full of cookies and pies. On one of the hanapers there was a white dove with a silver bell on her neck who told him in a soft voice:
«Over the blue river near the Silver Wood there lives a beautiful lady. She sends you these wonderful gifts. She would like to treat you with her own cooking. Please, prince, be so kind and taste what she had cooked for you. If you like it, please, come and visit her. She will be happy to see you in her palace. She will receive you as a noble and decent man. You will never regret it, and you will always remember it.»
Thus, the bird said then flew up and disappeared.
The prince took the hanapers and go back to his palace. As he tasted the pies and the cookies, he loved them so much he ate everything to the last crumb. The orphan was a very skillful cook. He wanted to vault into the saddle instantly and go to the Silver Wood but could not. He ate so much he just couldn’t get off the table. So, he decided to visit the lady the next time and to thank her for all the wonderful treats as he should as a prince.
In the evening the white dove flew to the windowsill of the old lady’s bedroom again, and started to persuade her:
«The prince loved all your gifts. But you have to surprise him even more. Tell your housemaid to crochet some lace. Then tell her to bring them in secret to the prince’s porch and leave them there.»
The witch called the girl and ordered her to crochet the lace night and day. The girl went to the needles and crochets and spindles and went on following her wicked mistress’ will. And the witch only runs around her, black as a crow, only scares her with the closet full of rats.
When the witch left the cell, the white dove flew to the girl. The poor orphan was all in tears, her fingers all cut with needles and crochets. Tired and exhausted she was only moaning.
