Once upon a time there was a woman who was a real witch, and she had two daughters. One was ugly and wicked, but she loved her because she was her own daughter. The other was good and lovely, but she hated her for she was only her foster child.Now this foster child had a beautiful apron which the other daughter envied, and she said to her mother that she must and would have it.
"Just wait quietly, my child," said her mother. "You shall have it. Tonight when she is asleep I will go and chop off your sister's head. Only take care to lie on the farther side of the bed, against the wall, and push her well to this side."
Now all this would certainly have come to pass if the poor girl had not been standing in a corner and heard what they said. She was not even allowed to go near the door all day, and when bedtime came the witch's daughter got into bed first, so as to lie at the farther side. But when she was asleep the other gently changed places with her and put herself next to the wall.
In the middle of the night the witch crept in, holding an ax in her right hand, while with her left she felt to find if anyone was there. Then she seized the ax with both hands, struck - and struck off her own child's head.
