There was once a widow who had two daughters: one was pretty and industrious, while the other was ugly and idle. The widow favored her own ugly, idle daughter and made her pretty, industrious stepdaughter do all the work. Every day, the stepdaughter had to sit by a well and spin until her fingers bled.
One day, her bloody shuttle fell into the well. Her stepmother ordered her to retrieve it. In despair, the girl jumped into the well. She awoke in a beautiful meadow. As she walked, she came upon a baker's oven full of bread crying, "Take me out, or I'll burn!" She used a shovel to rescue all the loaves. Next, she found an apple tree pleading, "Shake me! We are ripe!" She shook the tree until all the apples fell.
Finally, she reached a little house where an old woman with large teeth appeared. The woman, Mother Holle, kindly asked the girl to stay and work for her, promising a reward if she did her duties well, especially shaking the feather bed vigorously. The girl agreed and served diligently, leading a pleasant life.
Eventually, she grew homesick. Mother Holle, pleased with her service, led her to a large door. As the girl stood beneath it, a shower of golden rain covered her completely. "This is for your industry," said Mother Holle, returning the lost shuttle. The girl found herself back home, covered in gold, and was warmly welcomed.
Seeing this, the widow sent her own lazy daughter to seek the same fortune. The girl deliberately pricked her finger and threw the shuttle into the well, then jumped in. She reached the same meadow but ignored the pleas of the bread and the apple tree. At Mother Holle's house, she worked lazily. Soon, Mother Holle dismissed her. As the lazy girl stood under the great door, a kettle of pitch was poured over her instead of gold. She returned home covered in pitch, which stuck to her for life.