A poor man, after losing his wife, raises his industrious daughter, Lenka, who is kind and obedient. He remarries, and his new wife has a lazy, spiteful daughter named Dorla. The stepmother favors Dorla, constantly belittling Lenka and eventually forces her father to abandon Lenka in the mountains, providing her with a sack filled with ashes, straw, and stones instead of food. Alone and hungry, Lenka meets an old beggar who, after she shows him kindness, transforms into a dwarf named Long Beard. He rewards her with gold ducats and comforts her with a cozy home. Lenka thrives in her new life, spinning and singing, and shares her fortune with her father when he visits. Meanwhile, the stepmother, envious of Lenka's success, insists that her husband take Dorla to the mountains, hoping for similar fortune. However, Dorla treats the beggar poorly, refusing to help him. Long Beard punishes her for her wickedness, leaving only her bones behind when her father returns to check on her. The contrasting fates of Lenka and Dorla highlight themes of kindness versus cruelty, and the consequences of one's actions. Lenka's goodness leads to prosperity, while Dorla's malice results in her demise. The story concludes with the father returning home with the grim remains of his ungrateful daughter, emphasizing the moral that virtue is rewarded while vice is punished.
By Parker Fillmore · First published 1921 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature