#🧵 — golden thread of fate. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

patchwork-legato · 1 year

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In a long gone land from far away, there once lived a poor miller who had a beautiful daughter. She had long brown hair the color of a fine oak tree, and her eyes that were of a shimmering gold. They both lived alone at the edge of their little village by the lake. The man had a terrible habit of bragging and he would often land himself into some very troublesome situations because of this. And as he continued this, one could even say that his conceit caused his life to take a turn for the worst one fine summer day.

“I can assure you that I do not jest,” he cried out loud. “Not only is my daughter the fairest in this kingdom. She has the skill to spin straw into gold! Any man would be lucky to marry her.”

To his misfortune, the king just so happened to be passing by and heard him.

“Is that so?” The monarch on his white horse raised his eyebrow at the miller, who was now struck with fear. The man of lower birth got on his knees to acknowledge the one of higher birth in front of him.

“It is indeed true, Your Majesty, that only my daughter can spin straw into gold in this kingdom,” exclaimed the miller out of fear without thinking.

“That is an exceptional skill indeed,” the king said to him. “Bring her to my palace tomorrow and I will put her to the test to see whether she's as talented as you claim.”

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#🧵 — golden thread of fate.

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patchwork-legato · 1 year

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When the miller’s daughter entered the palace, she would soon find herself in the dungeon, locked in a cell with a large pile of straw and a spinning wheel.

“Now work.” The king said, “You shall spin all night, even until your body can work no longer. Though if a single strand of straw has not been turned into gold in the morning, you and your father shall be executed.”

He left the dungeon, and the miller’s daughter was all alone. She looked around but all she could see was straw. Holding back her tears, she started to weave. She placed a spool on the spinning wheel and spun the straw three times. Fine threads of gold laced around the spool, shining. The girl did this many more times until she had multiple spools of golden thread.

It was midnight when she had spun half of all the straw. The miller’s daughter sighed with fatigue, yet she continued spinning and spinning. Suddenly, the cell door opened and a young man walked in.

“Good evening, Miss Miller. What seems to be the matter?” He asked her.

“Oh,” answered the girl, “I’m supposed to spin all of this straw into gold before dawn. I don’t think I can continue any longer.”

“Your hands say otherwise,” the man pointed out to her hands that still continued to spin the straw into golden thread. “Shall I do it for you instead?”

“I’m afraid I cannot allow you to do that. But won’t you keep me company until the sun rises?”

“Oh? And if I keep you company until sunrise, what will you give me in return?”

The miller’s daughter looked down and checked her pockets, then her clothes. She had nothing to give him. But she thought long and hard. Soon, her mouth opened and she said—

“Miss Miller,” questioned the man, “why are you and your father still so poor despite the fact that you have the ability to spin straw into gold?”

“You are certainly correct about the truth that my father has decided to deny, and which he has pleaded with me to keep secret until our last breath. I could weave enough wealth out of straw to build a castle in his name and dress him in the best silks, but all of that would be all for nothing if he lost his only daughter to greed.”

“Well, I suppose your father was right to be concerned, because the same hands he spoke highly of are currently threatening your life.”

What boldness! she thought. She didn't enjoy the young man's lack of tact, but she didn't detect any malice in his statements, so she thought that he was perhaps just joking.

"Please hold your tongue,” she said out loud. “It’s not nice to talk ill of our king like that. Surely, all he has requested me to spin will be for the kingdom's prosperity and the benefit of all subjects. A great ruler would not allow himself to be consumed entirely by something as vile and lowly as human greed.”

What naivety! he thought. If her beliefs were to be true, then only a few rulers would have the right to sit on their thrones. He found it lovely that the girl spoke clearly and truthfully of morality and responsibility with such innocence.

“And nothing is more honorable than a man using his own abilities to help his fellowman,” he said, “but tell me, how do you think news of your skill reached the king's ears when you have done so well to keep it hidden?”

She replied, “With the vast amounts of gold and resources His Majesty has, I don’t see how he won’t be able to learn the kingdom’s deepest and darkest secrets.”

With this statement, the girl finished another spool. She spun the wheel a few more times and wound up with another. The process repeated and there was another. And another. And another…

The miller’s daughter never saw the crooked smile on the young man’s lips that night.

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#🧵 — golden thread of fate.

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