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The first day she was very obedient and industrious, and exerted

herself to please Mother Holle, for she thought of the gold she

should get in return. The next day, however, she began to dawdle

over her work, and the third day she was more idle still; then

she began to lie in bed in the mornings and refused to get up.

Worse still, she neglected to make the old woman's bed properly,

and forgot to shake it so that the feathers might fly about. So

Mother Holle very soon got tired of her, and told her she might

go. The lazy girl was delighted at this, and thought to herself,

'The gold will soon be mine.' Mother Holle led her, as she had

led her sister, to the broad gateway; but as she was passing

through, instead of the shower of gold, a great bucketful of

pitch came pouring over her.

'That is in return for your services,' said the old woman, and

she shut the gate.

So the lazy girl had to go home covered with pitch, and the cock

on the well called out as she saw her: