Magical Helpers, Part 1

As autumn matures and nudges its way towards winter, I find myself once again up against the enormous “before snow flies” list. To be fair, snow has already flown, but the recent warming spell has been welcome as the farm prepares for winter.

Many of these tasks are extremely low tech like cleaning barns, pulling out fencing, or harvesting the last of the garden. It reminds me of the rhythms of pre-industrial life when all aspects of a family’s needs were made by hand. Imagine also worrying about making enough warm clothes for everyone for winter too!

Sometimes I wish I could convince the fairy folk to lend a hand at all the many tasks that need completing. Perhaps they sometimes do when I’m not looking. Every year at Halloween time, I share a folk tale with you, and this year’s selection fits right in that theme of being overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. This one comes from Norway.

The Three Aunts

Up in the forests there was a huntsman and his only daughter. Sadly, his wife had died soon after childbirth, and he had raised the girl on his own. One day, as she was growing up, she asked her father leave to go and seek her fortune in the world.

“Well, you’ve learned little more from me than how to dress a deer or pluck a goose, so yes, go forth to seek your fortune with my blessings,” he said, kissing her brow.

So, she packed up what few little things she had and set out. She walked and walked and walked until she came to the castle of the king, asking if there was any work needed doing. Of course, there was always work to do, and she soon found a place in the kitchen. But the maiden was so lovely and sweet, she soon caught the eye of the queen, who enjoyed her company.

The queen, however, already had her clutch of court followers, and they became quite jealous of the maiden. They decided that the best way to get rid of her was to spread rumors. They said that the maiden had said that she could spin 10 pounds of flax in a day. A day!

This quite delighted the queen, who summoned the maiden to her at once.

“I just heard that you said that you could spin 10 pounds of flax in a day!” she cried in delight.

“I never said that,” was the maiden’s reply.

“Oh, come now,” urged the queen, “Everyone says that’s what you said, so it must be true. You’re just being modest. I want to see it done!”

“Eh, well, could I have a room to my own?”

“Of course!” And so, the room was appointed and outfitted with the heaping mound of flax and a beautiful spinning wheel.

“We’ll be back in the morning to see how you’re getting on!” the queen smiled and shut the door, leaving the maiden to herself.

But she had had no mother to raise her, so the maiden had never even seen a spinning wheel before. And though she tried this and though she tried that, she could get nothing but snags and snarls. Soon, she was reduced to a sobbing heap on the floor.

There came a knock at the door. When the maiden opened it, there stood an old woman.

“My child, my dear, you are sobbing so loudly, whatever can be the matter?”

At first, the maiden protested that it was just too awful and no one would be able to help her, but at length the old women got the story from her about the spinning of the flax.

“Well, now,” the woman soothed. “I suspect I can help you with that.”

“Really?”

“Yes. If you will call me aunt at your wedding, I’ll help you with the spinning.”

The maiden was elated, and she could think of no reason against calling this kind and helpful woman aunt, so she agreed.

“Now, look at you. You’ve been at this all day, and you are exhausted. Why don’t you take a little nap, and I’ll get stared.” But the nap turned into sleeping all night, and when the maiden awoke, she found that the old woman had gone, but the pile of flax had transformed into beautiful skeins of finely spun linen.

She didn’t have long to think about this, though, as there came another knock at the door. In came the queen and her retinue, and oh the joy at seeing such beautiful spinning! This made the queen love the maiden all the more, which made the jealous ones likewise all the more jealous. With the next round of rumors, they said that the maiden said that she could take that linen and weave 12 yards of fabric in a day. In a day!

The queen was delighted and summoned the maiden once again, resulting in a similar exchange and the setting up of a room to herself with the linen and a loom. But the maiden had had no mother to raise her, and she’d never worked a loom before in her life. Where did one even begin? She tried this and she tried that, but all she got was snags and snarls, and soon she was sobbing on the floor once more.

There came a knock at the door, and when she answered there stood another old woman.

“My child, my dear, you are sobbing so loudly, whatever is the matter?” And I suspect that you can imagine what happens next, but there’s a bit more to this story, which we will save for next week.

Best wishes with your autumn preparations, and we’ll see you down on the farm sometime.