there was once on a time a girl who was young and beautiful, but she had lost her mother when she was quite a child, and her step-mother did all she could to make the girl’s life wretched. whenever this woman gave her anything to do, she worked at it indefatigably, and did everything that lay in her power. still she could not touch the heart of the wicked woman by that; she was never satisfied; it was never enough. the harder the girl worked, the more work was put upon her, and all that the woman thought of was how to weigh her down with still heavier burdens, and make her life still more miserable.