The Three Spinners

Author: Brothers Grimm

Age5–9
Reading time8 min
LevelIntermediate

Introduction

This is a sly, funny tale, a close cousin of Rumpelstiltskin on this site (both belong to the folk type where a hard spinning-task is solved by a mysterious helper, ATU 501) — but the bargains could not be more different: Rumpelstiltskin's little man demands the Queen's baby (how terrible), while these three spinners only ask to be invited to the wedding (how easy). The tale hides a delicious trick: the three women's strange looks are all caused by spinning — a broad flat foot from working the treadle, a drooping lip from licking the thread, a huge thumb from twisting — so when the prince sees these 'cousins,' he is so alarmed he forbids his beautiful bride ever to spin again. And so the 'lazy' girl who would not spin gets exactly what she wanted: freedom from spinning forever. Do not rush to say the story praises laziness — in the old days, spinning was endless, tiring, thankless women's work, and this tale is a bit of playful folk wish-fulfilment on behalf of everyone weary of the wheel. As you read, ask your child: is this story praising 'being lazy,' or poking fun at a never-ending chore?

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There was once a girl who was lazy and would not spin, and her mother could not persuade her to it, do what she would. At last the mother became angry and out of patience, and gave her a good beating, so that she cried out loudly.

At that moment the Queen was going by; as she heard the crying, she stopped; and, going into the house, she asked the mother why she was beating her daughter, so that every one outside in the street could hear her cries.

The woman was ashamed to tell of her daughter's laziness, so she said, "I cannot stop her from spinning; she is for ever at it, and I am poor and cannot furnish her with flax enough."

Then the Queen answered, "I like nothing better than the sound of the spinning-wheel, and always feel happy when I hear its humming; let me take your daughter with me to the castle - I have plenty of flax, she shall spin there to her heart's content."

The mother was only too glad of the offer, and the Queen took the girl with her.

When they reached the castle the Queen showed her three rooms which were filled with the finest flax as full as they could hold.

"Now you can spin me this flax," said she, "and when you can show it me all done you shall have my eldest son for bridegroom; you may be poor, but I make nothing of that - your industry is dowry enough."

The girl was inwardly terrified, for she could not have spun the flax, even if she were to live to be a hundred years old, and were to sit spinning every day of her life from morning to evening.

And when she found herself alone she began to weep, and sat so for three days without putting her hand to it. On the third day the Queen came, and when she saw that nothing had been done of the spinning she was much surprised; but the girl excused herself by saying that she had not been able to begin because of the distress she was in at leaving her home and her mother.

The excuse contented the Queen, who said, however, as she went away, "Tomorrow you must begin to work."

When the girl found herself alone again she could not tell how to help herself or what to do, and in her perplexity she went and gazed out of the window.

There she saw three women passing by, and the first of them had a broad flat foot, the second had a big under-lip that hung down over her chin, and the third had a remarkably broad thumb.

They all of them stopped in front of the window, and called out to know what it was that the girl wanted. She told them all her need, and they promised her their help, and said, "Then will you invite us to your wedding, and not be ashamed of us, and call us your cousins, and let us sit at your table; if you will promise this, we will finish off your flax-spinning in a very short time."

"With all my heart," answered the girl; "only come in now, and begin at once."

Then these same women came in, and she cleared a space in the first room for them to sit and carry on their spinning.

The first one drew out the thread and moved the treddle that turned the wheel, the second moistened the thread, the third twisted it, and rapped with her finger on the table, and as often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground, and it was most beautifully spun.

But the girl hid the three spinsters out of the Queen's sight, and only showed her, as often as she came, the heaps of well-spun yarn; and there was no end to the praises she received.

When the first room was empty they went on to the second, and then to the third, so that at last all was finished.

Then the three women took their leave, saying to the girl, "Do not forget what you have promised, and it will be all the better for you."

So when the girl took the Queen and showed her the empty rooms, and the great heaps of yarn, the wedding was at once arranged, and the bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, and praised her exceedingly.

"I have three cousins," said the girl, "and as they have shown me a great deal of kindness, I would not wish to forget them in my good fortune; may I be allowed to invite them to the wedding, and to ask them to sit at the table with us?" The Queen and the bridegroom said at once, "There is no reason against it."

So when the feast began in came the three spinsters in strange guise, and the bride said, "Dear cousins, you are welcome."

"Oh," said the bridegroom, "how come you to have such dreadfully ugly relations?" And then he went up to the first spinster and said, "How is it that you have such a broad flat foot?"

"With treading," answered she, "with treading." Then he went up to the second and said, "How is it that you have such a great hanging lip?"

"With licking," answered she, "with licking."

Then he asked the third, "How is it that you have such a broad thumb?"

"With twisting thread," answered she, "with twisting thread." Then the bridegroom said that from that time forward his beautiful bride should never touch a spinning-wheel. And so she escaped that tiresome flax-spinning

Vocabulary from "The Three Spinners"

12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.

beatingB2

/ˈbiːtɪŋ/n.

A punishment or attack in which someone is hit hard many times.

毒打；痛打。

At last the mother became angry and out of patience, and gave her a good beating, so that she cried out loudly.
最后母亲终于发了火，失去了耐心，狠狠地打了她一顿，打得她大声哭叫起来。

ashamedB1

/əˈʃeɪmd/adj.

Feeling embarrassed or guilty about something.

羞愧的；难为情的。

The woman was ashamed to tell of her daughter's laziness.
做母亲的觉得告诉别人女儿懒惰很丢脸。

furnishC1

/ˈfɜːnɪʃ/v.

To supply or provide something.

供给；提供。

She is for ever at it, and I am poor and cannot furnish her with flax enough.
她没完没了地纺个不停，可我很穷，买不起那么多亚麻。

hummingB2

/ˈhʌmɪŋ/n.

A low, steady, continuous sound.

嗡嗡声；嘤嘤声。

I like nothing better than the sound of the spinning-wheel, and always feel happy when I hear its humming.
我最爱听纺纱声，一听到纺车嗡嗡响我就高兴。

inwardlyC1

/ˈɪnwədli/adv.

In one's mind or heart, without showing it.

内心地；暗自地。

The girl was inwardly terrified, for she could not have spun the flax, even if she were to live to be a hundred years old.
女孩听了心里怕得要命，因为哪怕她活到一百岁也纺不完这么多亚麻。

perplexityC1

/pəˈpleksəti/n.

The state of being confused and not knowing what to do.

困惑；茫然；不知所措。

In her perplexity she went and gazed out of the window.
她不知道该怎么办，只好忧心忡忡地望着窗外。

remarkablyB2

/rɪˈmɑːkəbli/adv.

In a way that is unusual and worth noticing.

非常地；引人注目地。

The second had a big under-lip that hung down over her chin, and the third had a remarkably broad thumb.
第二个下嘴唇很大，耷拉在下巴上；第三个长着一只特别宽大的拇指。

moistened(moisten)C1

/ˈmɔɪsnd/v.

Made something slightly wet.

弄湿；润湿。

The first one drew out the thread, the second moistened the thread, the third twisted it.
第一个抽丝，第二个润湿纱线，第三个捻线。

rapped(rap)B2

/ræpt/v.

Knocked or tapped sharply and quickly.

急敲；轻叩。

She rapped with her finger on the table, and as often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground.
她用手指敲击桌子，每敲一下，就有一堆纱线落在地上。

yarnB2

/jɑːn/n.

Thread made by spinning, used for knitting or weaving.

纱线；纺线。

As often as she rapped a heap of yarn fell to the ground, and it was most beautifully spun.
她每敲一下，就有一堆纱线落在地上，而且纺得精美绝伦。

diligentB2

/ˈdɪlɪdʒənt/adj.

Hard-working and careful.

勤勉的；勤奋的。

The bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, and praised her exceedingly.
新郎因为能娶到一位这么心灵手巧又勤劳的妻子而感到高兴，对她赞赏有加。

exceedinglyC1

/ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/adv.

Extremely; to a very great degree.

极其；非常。

The bridegroom rejoiced that he should have so clever and diligent a wife, and praised her exceedingly.
新郎因为能娶到一位这么勤劳的妻子而感到高兴，对她赞赏有加。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

However well things turn out for you, never forget or feel ashamed of those who helped you — keep the promise you made to them.

Educational Value

Lets children enjoy folk humour and wit, and learn to keep promises, not judge by looks, and not forget those who help — while reflecting on hard work versus cutting corners.

Tips for Parents

Read it alongside Rumpelstiltskin and compare what the two 'helpers' ask for. Then talk about the girl's one truly admirable choice: she was not ashamed of, and did not forget, the ugly 'cousins' who helped her.

Talk About It

This story is like Rumpelstiltskin, but the helpers want very different things: one wants a child, the others only a seat at the wedding. Which 'bargain' seems fairer and kinder to you?
The three spinners' strange looks all came from spinning. By writing it this way, what is the story telling us about that kind of work?
The girl is actually lazy, relies on others, and even tricks the Queen. Do you think she is 'clever' or just 'cutting corners'?
Is this story really praising 'being lazy,' or is it poking fun at a never-ending chore? What do you think?