By the roadside stood a tiny little house , and here he knocked and asked for a cup of water . Now in this house dwelt two sisters , and one was eighty and the other ninety years old . They were very poor , and earned their living by spinning . This had kept their hands very soft and white , like the hands of a girl , and when the water was passed through the lattice , and the servant saw the small , delicate fingers , he said to himself : ' A maiden must indeed be lovely if she has a hand like that . ' And he made haste back , and told the king . ` Go back at once , ' said his majesty , ` and try to get a sight of her . ' The faithful servant departed on his errand without losing any time , and again he knocked at the door of the little house and begged for some water . As before , the old woman did not open the door , but passed the water through the lattice . ` Do you live here alone ? ' asked the man . ` No , ' replied she , ` my sister lives with me . We are poor girls , and have to work for our bread . ' ` How old are you ? ' ' I am fifteen , and she is twenty . ' Then the servant went back to the king , and told him all he knew . And his majesty answered : ' I will have the fifteen-year-old one . Go and bring her here . ' The servant returned a third time to the little house and knocked at the door . In reply to his knock the lattice window was pushed open , and a voice inquired what it was he wanted . ` The king has desired me to bring back the youngest of you to become his queen , ' he replied .
` Tell his majesty I am ready XXXXX do his bidding , but since my birth no ray of light has fallen upon my face .
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