The Girl and the Bear
There were three sisters, and the youngest was a simpleton. One summer they were gathering berries in the forest when the eldest lost her way. She walked and…
There were three sisters, and the youngest was a simpleton. One summer they were gathering berries in the forest when the eldest lost her way. She walked and walked until she came to a little hut on a chicken’s leg. She went inside and began calling for her sisters:
“Whoever is in the forest, whoever is among the pines, come and spend the night with me!”
“I’m in the forest, I’m among the pines, and I’ll come and spend the night with you,” answered an enormous bear, coming through the door. “Don’t be afraid of me. Climb into my right ear and out through my left, and we’ll have everything we need!”
The girl climbed into the bear’s right ear and out through his left, and found some keys tucked inside the front of her clothes.
“Now make supper!”
She made supper. They sat down at the table, and a mouse ran up and asked the girl for some porridge.
“Who’s talking to you?” asked the bear.
“A little mouse is asking for porridge.”
“Hit her on the forehead!”
The girl hit her.
“Now make my bed: a row of logs and a row of stones, a mortar under my head and a millstone to cover me.”
The bed was made. The bear lay down and ordered the girl to run around the room all night, jingling the keys. She ran and jingled them. The bear lay there for a while, then threw the millstone at her.
“She’s still alive!” cried the mouse. The bear threw the mortar.
“She’s still alive!” the mouse called again, and a log followed the mortar.
The bear killed the beautiful girl and sucked out her blood. Another time the middle sister lost her way and met the very same fate. The youngest, the simpleton, decided to look for her sisters and came to the same hut. The bear told her to make supper and prepare his bed. They sat down at the table, and the mouse came running up to ask for porridge. The girl gave her some.
“Who’s talking to you?” asked the bear.
“No one!”
When the bear had lain down, the mouse said to the girl:
“Give me the little keys. I’ll run around for you!”
The bear threw the millstone, and the mouse cried:
“She’s dead!”
The bear jumped up and looked for the dead girl. He could not find her and ran off into the forest. Then the mouse told the girl what had happened to her elder sisters, gave her the little keys, which would grant anything she asked for, and escorted her home.