The Lazy Girl in English | Story | @EnglishFairyTales

Summary

In a tale of contrasting virtues, a diligent girl from a blended family endures hardship and toils to support her ailing father, while her lazy stepsister indulges in vanity. The diligent girl's kindness to various creatures and objects along her journey is rewarded with wealth and wisdom by seven fairies, symbolizing the triumph of hard work and honesty. Conversely, the stepsister's refusal to help leads to her downfall, emphasizing that only humility and integrity are truly rewarded.

Takeaways

• 👨‍👧 A father and his daughter from a previous marriage live with a stepmother and her daughter in a faraway village.
• 👗 The stepmother favors her own daughter, dressing her well and keeping her idle, while the stepdaughter is treated poorly and made to do all the work.
• 💔 The stepdaughter's father is weak and unwell, unable to intervene in the unfair treatment she receives.
• 🤝 The stepdaughter, despite her hardships, remains diligent and kind, promising to work and support her father.
• 🌳 The stepdaughter encounters various talking elements in nature, including a tree, a vine, an oven, and a well, to which she lends a helping hand.
• 🐶 She also helps a dog by giving it a bath and trimming its hair, showing her kindness to animals as well.
• 🧚‍♀️ The stepdaughter finds work with seven fairies, who instruct her to clean six rooms daily but warn her against entering the seventh.
• 🔮 The girl's honesty and diligence impress the fairies, who reward her with a heap of gold and silver coins.
• 💎 The talking elements in nature also reward her for her kindness with gifts of pearls, bread, wine, and pears.
• 🚫 The stepmother's daughter, seeking to emulate the stepdaughter's success, refuses to help the talking elements, showing her laziness and selfishness.
• 🐍 Her refusal to help leads to negative consequences, as the elements that she ignored punish her for her laziness.
• 🏠 In the end, the stepdaughter returns home to find her father healthy and wealthy, while the stepmother and her daughter are left with nothing.

Q & A

What is the main conflict in the story involving the two daughters?

The main conflict is the difference in treatment between the two daughters. The wife favors her own daughter, making her lazy and indulged, while treating her stepdaughter poorly, forcing her to do all the work.

How does the stepmother plan to exploit the diligent daughter's hard work?

The stepmother plans to send the diligent daughter to work in a wealthy family, intending to take all the money she earns for herself and her own daughter.

What valuable lesson does the father teach his daughter before she leaves to find work?

The father teaches his daughter to always follow her duties, to never say no to anyone asking for help, and to be diligent in whatever she does with all her heart.

What does the girl encounter on her journey to find work?

The girl encounters various talking objects and animals that ask for her help, including a dried-up tree, a dying vine, a broken oven, a broken well, and a muddy dog.

What is the consequence of the girl's honesty and diligence at the house of the seven fairies?

The girl's honesty and diligence impress the fairies, who reward her with heaps of gold and silver coins that stick to her when she rolls over them.

What happens when the girl returns home with her newfound wealth?

When the girl returns home, her father is healthy and happy to see her. However, the stepmother is shocked and envious of their wealth, leading to her expulsion from the house.

What is the moral lesson that the stepmother's daughter learns after refusing to help others on her journey?

The stepmother's daughter learns that laziness and selfishness do not pay, as she is rejected by the talking objects and animals and ends up returning home with bruises and dirty clothes.

Why does the girl not enter the seventh room in the house of the seven fairies?

The girl does not enter the seventh room because the fairies specifically instructed her not to, and she is committed to following their rules as part of her duty.

What is the significance of the girl's interaction with the talking tree, vine, oven, well, and dog?

The interactions demonstrate the girl's kindness, humility, and willingness to help others despite the physical toll it takes on her, which ultimately leads to her being rewarded by these entities.

How does the story illustrate the contrast between the two daughters' attitudes towards work and helping others?

The story contrasts the lazy, self-centered attitude of the wife's daughter with the hardworking, selfless attitude of the stepdaughter, showing that the latter's approach leads to success and happiness.

What is the final outcome for the wife and her daughter after they are expelled from the house?

The final outcome is not explicitly stated in the script, but it is implied that they face hardship and regret for their actions, having lost their home and the opportunity for wealth.