And slamming the gate in the crone 's face she went her way . And she never heard the words that followed her : ` You shall not have done this to me for nothing ! ' By-and-by the girl arrived at the farm , and she was engaged to look after the cows and sift the corn as her stepsister had been . But it was only when someone was watching her that she did her work ; at other times the cow-house was dirty , and the cows ill-fed and beaten , so that they kicked over the pail , and tried to butt her ; and everyone said they had never seen such thin cows or such poor milk . As for the cats , she chased them away , and ill-treated them , so that they had not even the spirit to chase the rats and mice , which nowadays ran about everywhere . And when the sparrows came to beg for some corn , they fared no better than the cows and the cats , for the girl threw her shoes at them , till they flew in a fright to the woods , and took shelter amongst the trees . Months passed in this manner , when , one day , the mistress called the girl to her . ` All that I have given you to do you have done ill , ' said she , ` yet will I give you another chance . For though you can not tend cows , or divide the grain from the chaff , there may be other things that you can do better . Therefore take this sieve to the well , and fill it with water , and see that you bring it back without spilling a drop . ' The girl took the sieve and carried it to the well as her sister had done ; but no little birds came to help her , and after dipping it in the well two or three times she brought it back empty . ' I thought as much , ' said the old woman angrily ; ` she that is useless in one thing is useless in another . ' Perhaps the mistress may have thought that the girl had learnt a lesson , but , if she did , she was quite mistaken , as the work was no better done than before . By-and-by she sent for her again , and gave her maid the black and white yarn to wash in the river ; but there was no one to tell her the secret by which the black would turn white , and the white black ; so she brought them back as they were . This time the old woman only looked at her grimly but the girl was too well pleased with herself to care what anyone thought about her . After some weeks her third trial came , and the yarn was given her to spin , as it had been given to her stepsister before her . But no procession of cats entered the room to weave a web of fine cloth , and at sunset she only brought back to her mistress an armful of dirty , tangled wool . ` There seems nothing in the world you can do , ' said the old woman , and left her to herself . Soon after this the year was up , and the girl went to her mistress to tell her that she wished to go home . ` Little desire have I to keep you , ' answered the old woman , ` for no one thing have you done as you ought .
Still , I will give you some payment , therefore go up into the loft , and choose for yourself one XXXXX the caskets that lies there .
about before for if of than that to with without