There once was a very rich man who had a beautiful daughter called Snow-White Maiden. After the death of his wife, he married Frizzle, or Bald-Pate, who had two daughters of her own, Fair Maid and Swarthy Maid.

It had been announced that the king's son was to attend church. Every person, young or old, wished to see him, including Fair Maid, Swarthy Maid and Frizzle, or Bald Pate, their mother. The Snow-White Maiden wished to go as well but as she was held in such low esteem amongst her half-sisters and their mother, they endeavoured to keep her in the background. She was made to do every dificult and menial task until her ingers ached. When she asked to go and see the Prince, her sister, Swarthy Maid, said that she could not come as it would only bring disgrace upon the family to have such an undesirable creature accompany them.

When they left to go, ‘Cantrips’, or Trouble-the-House, a little woman of the fairy race, came in where Snow-White Maiden was and said to her, ‘You have not gone with them?’

‘No’, she replied, ‘they would not allow me to accompany them. How could I go when I am so unkempt, unclad, untrimmed and unshod?’

‘You will go’, said Cantrips, ‘and you will see the king's son as well as they do.’ She laid a wand of enchantment over Snow-White Maiden, and made her a woman so beautiful and graceful as no eye ever saw or ear ever heard report of one so perfect. Her wealth of hair reached from the crown of her head to her heels. Her dress dazzled like sunlight. A golden shoe shone on one foot and a silver one on the other. Three starlings twittered on each shoulder.

‘Should you become thirsty, put your hand to your mouth and wine and honey will flow from your ingers. When you enter the church, you must take a seat near the door, and do not wait for the close. I will give you a steed and a bridle; when you put the bridle on, the steed will bring you here before others can move.’