--- title: The Water-lily. the Gold-spinners — The Blue Fairy Book · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Water-lily. the Gold-spinners, «The Blue Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Once upon a time, in a large forest, there lived an old woman and three maidens. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Blue Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/) / The Water-lily. the Gold-spinners # The Water-lily. the Gold-spinners · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/) **2** - [101](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/101/) — Let the water flow all over the flower, and drift with the current until thou comest to a mountain ash tree on the left bank. - [102](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/102/) — There is near it a large stone. - [103](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/103/) — Stop there and say: ‘From a crab into a man, from a water-lily into a maiden,’ and ye both will be restored to your own forms.” - [104](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/104/) — Full of doubt and fear, the Prince let some time pass before he was bold enough to attempt to rescue the maiden. - [105](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/105/) — Then a crow said to him: “Why dost thou hesitate? - [106](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/106/) — The old wizard has not told thee wrong, neither have the birds deceived thee; hasten and dry the maiden’s tears.” - [107](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/107/) — “Nothing worse than death can befall me,” thought the Prince, “and death is better than endless sorrow.” - [108](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/108/) — So he mounted his horse and went to the bridge. - [109](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/109/) — Again he heard the water-lily’s lament, and, hesitating no longer, smeared himself all over with mud, and, saying: “From a man into a crab,” plunged into the river. - [110](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/110/) — For one moment the water hissed in his ears, and then all was silent. - [111](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/111/) — He swam up to the plant and began to loosen its roots, but so firmly were they fixed in the mud and reeds that this took him a long time. - [112](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/112/) — He then grasped them and rose to the surface, letting the water flow over the flower. - [113](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/113/) — The current carried them down the stream, but nowhere could he see the mountain ash. - [114](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/114/) — At last he saw it, and close by the large stone. - [115](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/115/) — Here he stopped and said: “From a crab into a man, from a water-lily into a maiden,” and to his delight found himself once more a prince, and the maiden was by his side. - [116](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/116/) — She was ten times more beautiful than before, and wore a magnificent pale yellow robe, sparkling with jewels. - [117](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/117/) — She thanked him for having freed her from the cruel witch’s power, and willingly consented to marry him. - [118](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/118/) — But when they came to the bridge where he had left his horse it was nowhere to be seen, for, though the Prince thought he had been a crab only a few hours, he had in reality been under the water for more than ten days. - [119](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/119/) — While they were wondering how they should reach his father’s court, they saw a splendid coach driven by six gaily caparisoned horses coming along the bank. - [120](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/120/) — In this they drove to the palace. - [121](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/121/) — The King and Queen were at church, weeping for their son, whom they had long mourned for dead. - [122](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/122/) — Great was their delight and astonishment when the Prince entered, leading the beautiful maiden by the hand. - [123](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/123/) — The wedding was at once celebrated and there was feasting and merry-making throughout the kingdom for six weeks. - [124](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/124/) — Some time afterward the Prince and his bride were sitting in the garden, when a crow said to them: “Ungrateful creatures! - [125](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/125/) — Have you forgotten the two poor maidens who helped you in your distress? - [126](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/126/) — Must they spin gold flax for ever? - [127](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/127/) — Have no pity on the old witch. - [128](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/128/) — The three maidens are princesses, whom she stole away when they were children together, with all the silver utensils, which she turned into gold flax. - [129](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/129/) — Poison were her fittest punishment.” - [130](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/130/) — The Prince was ashamed of having forgotten his promise and set out at once, and by great good fortune reached the hut when the old woman was away. - [131](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/131/) — The maidens had dreamed that he was coming, and were ready to go with him, but first they made a cake in which they put poison, and left it on a table where the old woman was likely to see it when she returned. - [132](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/132/) — She \_did\_ see it, and thought it looked so tempting that she greedily ate it up and at once died. - [133](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/133/) — In the secret chamber were found fifty wagon-loads of gold flax, and as much more was discovered buried. - [134](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/134/) — The hut was razed to the ground, and the Prince and his bride and her two sisters lived happily ever after. [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/26/) **2** - ← previous: [The White Cat, part 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/25/) - next →: [The Terrible Head](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/27/) - ↑ back to [The Blue Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/)