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The twelve months. (Translatd from the French. 1/4/20) I.
A peasant, who was left a widow, lived with her two daughters into a pretty house, near the forest. This peasnat was ugly and wicked. The eldest of the two daughters, who was a step-daughter, was named Mary; the second, who was as ugly as her mother, was named Henrietta. The peasant worshipped her daughter, but she detested Mary, because she was as beautiful as her sister was ugly. The good Mary did not know that she was pretty. She did not understand why her mother
It poor child who did all in the house: she was obliged to to sweep, to cook, to wash, to sew, to spin, to weave, to cut the grass, to watch the cow. Henrietta did nothing, she lived like a princess.Mary worked gladly and received the reproaches and
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blows with the gentleness of a lamb, Nothing seemed to pacify the stepmother because each day added to the beauty of the elder and the ugliness of the younger.
II.
It was winter now, it was very cold outdoors the wind blew, the snow fell. One day, in the middle of winter, Henrietta called her sister and said to her:
Come, Mary, go look for a bouquet of violets; I will put them in my belt and smell them.
But, my sister, what an idea! Are there violets under the snow? Be still, said the younger , and do as I tell you. If you do not go to the woods, if you do not bring me a bouquet of violets, I will beat you without mercy.
Many commenced to cry, but her mother did not listen. She seized her by the arm and hurled her toward the door.
