She walked straight along the road in front of her, without
knowing very well where she was going or what was to become of
her, for she had never been shown how to work, and all she had
learnt consisted of a few household rules, and receipts of dishes
which her mother had taught her long ago. And as she was afraid
that no housewife would want to engage a girl with such a pretty
face, she determined to make herself as ugly as she could.
She therefore took off the dress that she was wearing and put on
some horrible old rags belonging to a beggar, all torn and covered
with mud. After that she smeared mud all over her hands and face,
and shook her hair into a great tangle. Having thus changed her
appearance, she went about offering herself as a goose-girl or
shepherdess. But the farmers' wives would have nothing to say to
such a dirty maiden, and sent her away with a morsel of bread for
charity's sake.
After walking for a great many days without being able to find any
work, she came to a large farm where they were in want of a
shepherdess, and engaged her gladly.
One day when she was keeping her sheep in a lonely tract of land,
she suddenly felt a wish to dress herself in her robes of
splendour. She washed herself carefully in the stream, and as she
always carried her bundle with her, it was easy to shake off her
rags, and transform herself in a few moments into a great lady.
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