Once upon a time, there was a girl named Helena. She lived with her father, her wicked stepmother, and her stepsister, Demona. Helena was kind and beautiful, while Demona was ugly and unpleasant.
The stepmother was a cruel woman who wanted to get rid of Helena. One cold day, she said:
“Go out and collect strawberries, and do not return until you have them!”
She sent Helena out wearing only a dress made of paper and gave her nothing but a single crust of bread to eat. Helena searched for hours, but it was far too cold for strawberries to grow.
After wandering for a long time, she came across a small cottage in the woods. Shivering from the cold, she knocked on the door. Inside lived three little men, who kindly let her in to warm herself by the fire.
“Why are you wearing a dress made of paper in this freezing weather?” they asked.
“My stepmother forced me to wear it. She sent me out to find wild strawberries,” Helena replied.
Even though she was hungry, she shared her piece of bread with the three little men. In return, they asked her to sweep the leaves from the path outside their house.
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While she was sweeping, the three little men decided to give her magical gifts:
“She shall become more and more beautiful with each passing day,” said the first little man.
“When she speaks, gold coins shall fall from her mouth,” said the second.
“She will marry a king,” said the third.
Just then, Helena noticed a basket full of wild strawberries. She gathered them and made her way home.
When the stepmother saw how lucky Helena had been, she immediately sent Demona to the little cottage. But instead of wearing a paper dress, Demona was wrapped in a warm fur coat. Instead of a piece of bread, she carried a lavish meal.
She entered the cottage and ate her food without sharing. When the three little men asked her to sweep the leaves from their path, she refused.
The three men decided to give her their own kind of magical gifts:
“She shall become uglier with each passing day,” said the first little man.
“When she speaks, toads shall fall from her mouth,” said the second.
“She will have an unhappy life,” said the third.
The magic came true. Helena married a king and lived happily ever after. Demona did not.
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