The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THERE WAS ONCE A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GIRL WHOSE MOTHER HAD JUST DIED.
HER FATHER REMARRIED, AND HER STEPMOTHER HAD A DAUGHTER OF HER OWN.
THE GIRL HAD A SMALL DOG AND THE STEPMOTHER USED TO BEAT BOTH THE DOG
AND THE GIRL. ONE DAY THE STEPMOTHER TOLD THE GIRL TO GO OUT AND GET
STRAW FOR THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. WHILE THE GIRL WAS GONE, THE
STEPMOTHER DUG A PIT IN FRONT OF THE DOORSTEP AND FILLED IT WITH
HOT COALS. THEN WHEN THE GIRL CAME BACK THE DOG WARNED THE GIRL
OF THE DANGER. THE STEPMOTHER BEAT BOTH THE GIRL AND THE DOG, AND
ASKED THE FATHER TO TAKE THE GIRL OUT IN THE WOODS AND ABANDON HER.
THE GIRL WANDERED ALL DAY IN THE WOODS AFTER SHE WAS ABANDONED.
TOWARDS EVENING SHE SPOTTED A SMALL CABIN, GOING INSIDE SHE FOUND A
LARGE STOVE STILL BURNING. SHE WAS VERY SLEEPY AND IMMEDIATELY FELL
ASLEEP ON THE WARM STOVE. NOT TOO LONG AFTER A LARGE BEAR CAME IN.
HE SAW THE GIRL AND ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS DOING HERE. SHE ANSWERED
POLITELY THAT SHE WAS ONLY LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO SLEEP. THE BEAR
THEN TOLD HER TO MAKE HIM SOME SUPPER. SHE DID. THEN HE TOLD HER TO
SCRATCH HIS LEFT EAR. SHE DID AND THEN ALL SORTS OF FOOD FLOWED OUT.
THEN HE TOLD HER TO SCRATCH HIS RIGHT EAR, AND AS SHE DID ALL SORTS
OF RICHES FLOWED. THE NEXT MORNING SHE LEFT WITH HER TREASURER HER
TREASURES AND WENT HOME. WHEN THE STEPMOTHER SAW THIS SHE INSISTED
THAT HER DAUGHTER GO TO THE HUT. THE NEXT EVENING THE STEPSISTER WAS
LYING ON THE STOVE WHEN THE BEAR WALKED IN. IMMEDIATELY THE BEAR ASKED
WHAT SHE WAS DOING HERE. THE LAZY GIRL GAVE HIM A RUDE AND WISE-CRACK ANSWER.
THE BEAR THEN ASKED HER TO MAKE HIS SUPPER. SHE TOLD HIM TO DO IT HIMSELF.
THEN HE SCRATCHED HIS LEFT EAR AND ALL SORTS OF SNAKES AND VIPERS FLOWED OUT.
THEN HE SCRATCHED HIS RIGHT EAR AND ALL SORTS OF LEOPARDS AND WILDCATS JUMPED OUT.
THE BEAR TOLD THEM TO ATTACK AND THEY DEVOURED HER AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS HER BONES.
THE NEXT MORNING THE STEPMOTHER WAS IMPATIENT AND WENT TO THE COTTAGE. THERE SHE SAW
THE DAUGHTER'S BONES AND WAS IMMEDIATELY DEVOURED BY THE BEAR. AND SO IT IS ENDED.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER HEARD THIS TALE FROM HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS A SMALL CHILD.
INFORMANT HEARD THIS TALE FROM HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS A SMALL CHILD

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: 04-03-1968