The magic flower
Once upon a time there were two sisters. One very beautiful and the other very ugly.
One day as they strolled through the woods looking for berries, they heard someone calling and moaning. It was the dwarf Malachi. He had been trapped in a thicket and could not let go. The pretty sister started to laugh. The ugly cut the thorns and landed the dwarf safe and sound on the ground.
“As a way of thanking you, I will teach you the way to the magic flower,” said the dwarf. “Whoever takes her to the king will become queen.” Follow the brook to the source. It is there, among the stones, that the magic flower is born.
That said, it disappeared.
– I’m the one who gets the flower. You’re too ugly to be queen, ”said the pretty sister to the ugly sister.
And left immediately. When he had walked a good chunk, he found a sacho halfway.
“Take me with you,” said the sacho.
“No. You’re very dirty,” said the girl, and went on.
Ahead, he found a watering can halfway.
“Take me with you,” said the watering can.
“No. You’re very heavy,” she said, going on.
Ahead, he found a rope along the way.
“Take me with you,” said the rope.
“No. It’s no good,” the girl said, following the path.
When the sun was at its highest, it finally reached the source. Only the spring was drying up, the earth withered and the flower withered.
“The dwarf lied,” said the girl, and furiously ran back the same way.
“You go now,” she told her sister the next day, glad to know she was going the long way in vain.
The ugly sister then made her way. When he had been through quite a while, he found a sacho.
“Take me with you,” said the sacho.
“With pleasure,” said the girl. – Maybe I’ll still need you.
And with the shoulder to his shoulder, he continued. Later, he found a watering can.
“Take me with you,” said the watering can.
“With pleasure,” said the girl. – Maybe I’ll still need you.
Shouldered and watering in hand, the girl continued. A little farther on, he found a fallen rope along the way.
“Take me with you,” said the rope.
“With pleasure,” said the girl. – Maybe I’ll still need you.
And there he went on, his shoulder to his shoulder, the watering can in one hand, the rope in the other.
When the sun had reached its highest point, it reached the source, but the fountain was drying, the earth withered, and the magic flower withered.
The girl took the sacho and dug the earth. With the watering can, watered the flower. Finally, he took the rope and straightened the flower with it. The flower then began to revive. Water rose up the stem to the leaves, the bud straightened toward the light and opened. The girl watched, amazed.
She was looking at the flower and didn’t even realize that it was slowly becoming as beautiful as the flower itself. He cut it off and took it to the king. The king was delighted to see the pretty girl with the flower and, as he had promised, made her queen.
The beautiful sister, this one was growing uglier with envy. Max Bolliger S. Risefäscht Aarau, AT Verlag, 1990 (Translation and Adaptation)
