There was once a king who had a daughter. He had a glass mountain built and declared that whoever could cross to the other side without falling would win his daughter's hand in marriage.
A man who loved the princess asked the king for permission to marry her. "Yes," said the king, "if you can cross the mountain without falling, you shall have her." The princess offered to go with him and support him if he stumbled.
They set out together. Halfway up, the princess slipped and fell. The glass mountain opened, swallowed her, and immediately closed. Her betrothed could not see where she had gone. He wept and lamented bitterly. The king, also miserable, ordered the mountain broken open where she was lost, hoping to rescue her, but they could not find the spot.
Meanwhile, the princess had fallen deep into the earth, into a great cave. An old man with a long gray beard met her. He told her she must serve him and obey all his commands to live; otherwise, he would kill her. She obeyed.
Each morning, he took a ladder from his pocket, set it against the mountain, climbed to the top, and then drew the ladder up after him. The princess had to cook, clean, make his bed, and do all his work. When he returned, he always brought heaps of gold and silver.
After many years, when she had grown old, he called her Mother Mansrot, and she had to call him Old Rinkrank.
One day when he was out, after finishing her chores, she shut all doors and windows tightly, leaving only one small window open for light. When Old Rinkrank returned, he knocked and cried, "Mother Mansrot, open the door for me."
"No," she said, "Old Rinkrank, I will not open the door for thee."
Then he said:
"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,
On my seventeen long shanks,
On my weary, worn-out foot,
Wash my dishes, Mother Mansrot."
"I have washed thy dishes already," she replied.
He said again:
"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,
On my seventeen long shanks,
On my weary, worn-out foot,
Make me my bed, Mother Mansrot."
"I have made thy bed already," she said.
He pleaded once more:
"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,
On my seventeen long shanks,
On my weary, worn-out foot,
Open the door, Mother Mansrot."
He ran around the house, saw the open window, and thought to peek inside to see what she was doing. He tried to put his head through but his long beard got in the way. So he first pushed his beard through the window. Just then, Mother Mansrot pulled a cord she had tied to the window, slamming it shut and trapping his beard.
He cried piteously from the pain and entreated her to free him. She refused until he gave her the ladder he used to ascend the mountain. Forced, he told her where it was. She fastened a long ribbon to the window, set up the ladder, climbed the mountain, and opened the window at the top.
She went to her father and told him everything. The king rejoiced greatly. Her betrothed was still waiting. They dug up the mountain and found Old Rinkrank inside with all his gold and silver. The king had Old Rinkrank put to death and took his treasure. The princess married her betrothed, and they lived happily in great magnificence and joy.