a woman was going about the unenclosed land with her daughter and her step-daughter cutting fodder, when the lord came walking towards them in the form of a poor man, and asked, "which is the way into the village?" "if you want to know," said the mother, "seek it for yourself," and the daughter added, "if you are afraid you will not find it, take a guide with you." but the step-daughter said, "poor man, i will take you there, come with me." then god was angry with the mother and daughter, and turned his back on them, and wished that they should become as black as night and as ugly as sin. to the poor step-daughter, however, god was gracious, and went with her, and when they were near the village, he said a blessing over her, and spake, "choose three things for thyself, and i will grant them to thee." then said the maiden, "i should like to be as beautiful and fair as the sun," and instantly she was white and fair as day. "then i should like to have a purse of money which would never grow empty." that the lord gave her also, but he said, "do not forget what is best of all." said she, "for my third wish, i desire, after my death, to inhabit the eternal kingdom of heaven." that also was granted unto her, and then the lord left her.