English Original
There was once a witch who had two daughters: one ugly and wicked, whom she loved because she was her own child; and one beautiful and good, whom she hated because she was her step-daughter. The step-daughter had a pretty apron, which the witch's own daughter coveted. Envious, she demanded it from her mother.
"Be quiet, my child," said the witch. "You shall have it. Your step-sister deserves death. Tonight, when she is asleep, I will cut off her head. Be sure to lie on the far side of the bed and push her to the front."
The step-daughter, standing in a corner, overheard everything. That night, when the witch's daughter fell asleep, the step-daughter gently pushed her to the front and took the place by the wall. In the darkness, the witch crept in, felt for the figure on the outside, and with an axe, cut off her own daughter's head.
After the witch left, the step-daughter fled to her sweetheart, Roland. "We must fly," she urged. "My step-mother meant to kill me but killed her own child. At dawn, she will discover her mistake and come for us."
"First," advised Roland, "take her magic wand, or we cannot escape her pursuit."
The maiden fetched the wand. She took three drops of blood from the dead girl's head and let them fall: one by the bed, one in the kitchen, and one on the stairs. Then she and Roland hurried away.
In the morning, the witch called for her daughter to give her the apron. "Where are you?" she cried.
"Here, on the stairs, I am sweeping," answered the first drop of blood.
The witch saw no one and called again.
"Here in the kitchen, I am warming myself," cried the second drop.
Again, she found no one.
"Ah, here in the bed, I am sleeping," cried the third drop.
The witch went to the bed and found her own daughter, headless and bathed in blood. Enraged, she sprang to the window and saw her step-daughter fleeing with Roland in the distance.
"You shall not escape me!" she shrieked. She put on her seven-league boots and soon overtook them.
Seeing the witch approach, the girl used the magic wand to change Roland into a lake and herself into a duck swimming upon it. The witch stood on the shore, throwing breadcrumbs to entice the duck, but to no avail. At nightfall, she had to return home.
The couple resumed their forms and traveled all night. At daybreak, the maiden transformed herself into a beautiful flower within a briar hedge, and Roland into a fiddler. The witch soon arrived and asked the musician, "May I pluck that flower?"
"Oh, yes," he replied. "I will play while you do."
As she crept into the hedge to pluck the flower, Roland began to play a magical tune. The witch was forced to dance against her will. The faster he played, the more violently she danced, until the thorns tore her clothes and pierced her skin. She danced until she fell dead upon the ground.
Delivered from danger, Roland said, "Now I will go to my father to arrange our wedding."
"I will wait here," said the girl. "So that no one recognizes me, I will turn myself into a red stone landmark."
Roland departed, and the girl stood as a red stone in the field. But when Roland reached home, he fell under the spell of another and forgot his true love.
The poor maiden waited a long time. Growing sad, she transformed into a flower, thinking, "Someone will surely come and trample me down."
A shepherd found the pretty flower, plucked it, and placed it in his chest. From that day, strange things occurred in his house. Each morning, all chores were done: the room swept, the fire lit, and water fetched. At noon, a fine dinner awaited him. He saw no one and grew fearful, so he sought advice from a wise woman.
"There is enchantment at work," she said. "Listen early in the morning. If you see anything move, throw a white cloth over it, and the magic will cease."
The shepherd did as told. At dawn, he saw the chest open and the flower emerge. He swiftly threw a white cloth over it. The transformation ended, and a beautiful girl stood before him. She confessed she was the flower and had been doing his housework. She told her story. The shepherd, pleased with her, asked for her hand in marriage.
She refused, wishing to remain faithful to Roland, though he had deserted her. She promised, however, to stay and keep house for the shepherd.
Time passed, and the day of Roland's wedding to another drew near. According to custom, all maidens were to attend and sing for the bridal pair. The faithful maiden's heart was heavy, but the other girls persuaded her to go.
When her turn to sing came, she stepped back until she was the last. As her song began, Roland heard her voice and sprang up. "I know that voice! She is my true bride! I will have no other!"
All his forgotten memories rushed back to his heart. The faithful maiden and her sweetheart Roland were wed at last, and their sorrow turned to joy.
中文翻译
从前有个女巫，她有两个女儿：一个丑陋邪恶，因为是亲生女儿，所以深受宠爱；另一个美丽善良，因为是继女，所以备受憎恨。继女有一条漂亮的围裙，女巫的亲生女儿非常嫉妒，便向母亲索要。
"别急，我的孩子，"女巫说，"你会得到的。你的继姐早就该死了。今晚等她睡着，我就去把她的头砍下来。你记得睡在床里边，把她推到外面来。"
继女正站在角落里，偷听到了这一切。当晚，女巫的女儿睡着后，继女轻轻把她推到床外，自己睡到了靠墙的里边。黑暗中，女巫溜了进来，摸到床外侧的人，举起斧头，砍下的却是自己亲生女儿的头。
女巫离开后，继女逃到她的爱人罗兰那里。"我们必须马上逃走，"她催促道，"我的继母本想杀我，却误杀了自己的孩子。天亮后她发现真相，一定会来追我们的。"
"首先，"罗兰建议道，"你得拿走她的魔杖，否则我们逃不出她的追捕。"
姑娘取来了魔杖。她从死去的女孩头上取了三滴血，分别滴在床边、厨房和楼梯上。然后她和罗兰匆匆逃离。
早上，女巫叫女儿来拿围裙。"你在哪儿？"她喊道。
"在这儿，在楼梯上，我在扫地呢，"第一滴血回答道。
女巫没看到人，又喊了一声。
"在这儿，在厨房里，我在取暖呢，"第二滴血喊道。
她又没找到人。
"啊，在这儿，在床上，我正睡觉呢，"第三滴血喊道。
女巫走到床边，发现自己的女儿身首异处，浸在血泊中。她暴跳如雷，冲到窗边，远远看见继女正和罗兰一起逃跑。
"你们休想逃掉！"她尖叫道。她穿上七里格靴，很快就追上了他们。
看到女巫逼近，姑娘用魔杖把罗兰变成一片湖，自己变成湖中央的一只鸭子。女巫站在岸边，扔面包屑想引诱鸭子，但毫无作用。夜幕降临，她只好空手而归。
两人恢复原形，走了一整夜。天亮时，姑娘把自己变成荆棘篱笆里的一朵美丽的花，罗兰则变成一个小提琴手。女巫很快赶到，问乐师："我可以摘那朵花吗？"
"哦，当然，"他回答，"你摘的时候我为你伴奏。"
当女巫爬进篱笆要去摘花时，罗兰开始演奏一首有魔力的曲子。女巫不由自主地被迫跳起舞来。他拉得越快，她就跳得越猛烈，直到荆棘撕破了她的衣服，刺穿了她的皮肤。她一直跳到倒地身亡。
脱离危险后，罗兰说："现在我要回家找父亲筹备我们的婚礼。"
"我在这里等你，"姑娘说，"为了不被人认出，我会变成一块红色的路标石。"
罗兰离开了，姑娘变成一块红石立在田野里。但罗兰到家后，被另一个女人迷惑，忘记了他的真爱。
可怜的姑娘等了很久。她悲伤不已，变成了一朵花，心想："总会有人路过把我踩扁的。"
一个牧羊人发现了这朵漂亮的花，把它摘下来放进了自己的箱子。从那天起，他家里发生了怪事。每天早晨，所有家务都做好了：房间打扫了，火生好了，水打好了。中午回家，一顿丰盛的晚餐已摆上桌。他看不到任何人，心里害怕，便去向一位智慧的女人请教。
"这是魔法在作祟，"她说，"清早仔细听听动静。如果你看到有什么东西在动，不管是什么，就用一块白布盖住它，魔法就会解除。"
牧羊人照做了。黎明时分，他看到箱子打开，那朵花出来了。他迅速用一块白布盖住了它。变形结束了，一位美丽的姑娘站在他面前。她承认自己就是那朵花，一直在替他料理家务。她讲述了自己的故事。牧羊人很喜欢她，便向她求婚。
她拒绝了，因为她想对罗兰保持忠诚，尽管他已经抛弃了她。不过，她答应留下来继续为牧羊人料理家务。
时光流逝，罗兰与别人结婚的日子临近了。按照习俗，所有姑娘都要出席并为新人唱歌。忠贞的姑娘心情沉重，但其他姑娘劝她一同前往。
轮到唱歌时，她一直退后，直到只剩下她一人。当她开始歌唱时，罗兰听到了她的声音，猛地站起来。"我认得这声音！她才是我的真爱！我谁也不要！"
所有被他遗忘的记忆瞬间涌回心头。忠贞的姑娘终于和她的爱人罗兰举行了婚礼，悲伤终结，喜悦降临。