The Rose Tree

This is an Anglish of the folk tale, The Rose Tree, as written in English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. The tale is akin to The Juniper Tree as written by The Brothers Grimm.

This reading is made of words only of Old English and otherwise unknown springs. by Wordwork.

The Writ


There was once upon a time a good man who had two children: a girl by a first wife, and a boy by the. The girl was as white as milk, and her lips were like. Her hair was like golden silk, and it hung to the ground. Her brother loved her dearly, but her wicked stepmother hated her. "Child," said the stepmother one day, "go to the and buy me a pound of candles." She gave her the ; and the little girl went, bought the candles, and started on her. There was a stile to. She put down the candles whilst she got over the stile. Up came a dog and ran off with the candles.

She went back to the, and she got. She came to the stile, set down the candles, and to climb over. Up came the dog and ran off with the candles.

She went to the, and she got a third ; and  the same. Then she came to her stepmother, for she had spent all the and had lost three  of candles.

The stepmother was, but she not to mind the loss. She said to the child: "Come, lay your head on my lap that I may comb your hair." So the little one laid her head in the woman's lap, who to comb the yellow silken hair. And when she combed the hair fell over her knees, and right down to the ground.

Then her stepmother hated her more for the of her hair; so she said to her, "I cannot  your hair on my knee, fetch a  of wood." So she fetched it. Then said the stepmother, "I cannot your hair with a comb, fetch me an axe." So she fetched it.

"Now," said the wicked woman, "lay your head down on the whilst I  your hair."

Well! she laid down her little golden head without fear; and whist! down came the axe, and it was off. So the mother wiped the axe and laughed.

Then she the heart and liver of the little girl, and she  them and brought them into the house for. The husband them and shook his head. He said they. She gave some to the little boy, but he would not eat. She to  him, but he, and ran out into the , and  up his little sister, and put her in a box, and buried the box under a rose-tree; and every day he went to the tree and wept till his tears ran down on the box.

One day the rose-tree. It was spring, and there among the was a white bird; and it sang, and sang, and sang, like an  out of heaven. Away it flew, and it went to a cobbler's shop, and itself on a tree hard by; and thus it sang:

"My wicked mother slew me, My dear father ate me, My little brother whom I love Sits below, and I sing above ⁠Stick, stock, stone dead."

"Sing that  song," said the shoe-maker. "If you will first give me those little red shoes you are making." The cobbler gave the shoes, and the bird sang the song; then flew to a tree in front of the watchmaker's, and sang:

"My wicked mother slew me, My dear father ate me, My little brother whom I love Sits below, and I sing above ⁠Stick, stock, stone dead."

"Oh, the song! sing it, sweet bird," said the watchmaker. "If you will give me first that gold watch and in your hand." The gave the watch and. The bird it in one foot, the shoes in the other, and, after having  the song, flew away to where three millers were picking a millstone. The bird on a tree and sang:

"My wicked mother slew me, My dear father ate me, My little brother whom I love Sits below, and I sing above ⁠Stick!"

Then one of the men put down his tool and looked up from his work,

⁠"Stock!"

Then the miller's man laid aside his tool and looked up,

⁠"Stone!"

Then the third miller's man laid down his tool and looked up,

⁠"Dead!"

Then all three out with one : "Oh, what a  song! Sing it, sweet bird, ." "If you will put the millstone my neck," said the bird. The men did what the bird and away to the tree it flew with the millstone  its neck, the red shoes in one foot, and the gold watch and  in the other. It sang the song and then flew home. It rattled the millstone the eaves of the house, and the stepmother said: "It thunders." Then the little boy ran out to see the thunder, and down dropped the red shoes at his feet. It rattled the millstone the eaves of the house once more, and the stepmother said again: "It thunders." Then the father ran out and down fell the about his neck.

In ran father and son, laughing and saying, "See, what things the thunder has brought us!" Then the bird rattled the millstone the eaves of the house a third time; and the stepmother said: "It thunders, perhaps the thunder has brought something for me," and she ran out; but the  she stepped outside the door, down fell the millstone on her head; and so she.