the poor girl sat down to the work, but tears ran down her cheeks as she did so, for she saw plainly enough that it was quite impossible to finish the work in one day. whenever she had a little heap of feathers lying before her, and she sighed or smote her hands together in her anguish, they flew away, and she had to pick them out again, and begin her work anew. then she put her elbows on the table, laid her face in her two hands, and cried, "is there no one, then, on god’s earth to have pity on me?" then she heard a low voice which said, "be comforted, my child, i have come to help thee." the maiden looked up, and an old woman was by her side. she took the girl kindly by the hand, and said, "only tell me what is troubling thee." as she spoke so kindly, the girl told her of her miserable life, and how one burden after another was laid upon her, and she never could get to the end of the work which was given to her. "if i have not done these feathers by this evening, my step-mother will beat me; she has threatened she will, and i know she keeps her word." her tears began to flow again, but the good old woman said, "do not be afraid, my child; rest a while, and in the meantime i will look to thy work." the girl lay down on her bed, and soon fell asleep. the old woman seated herself at the table with the feathers, and how they did fly off the quills, which she scarcely touched with her withered hands! the twelve pounds were soon finished, and when the girl awoke, great snow-white heaps were lying, piled up, and everything in the room was neatly cleared away, but the old woman had vanished.