In a secluded cottage, a poor woman favors her lazy daughter, Zloboha, over her industrious twin, Dobrunka. While Dobrunka toils at home, Zloboha is sent to learn city ways. One day, a handsome young lord, Dobromil, visits Dobrunka, and they form a bond. He leaves her a bag of gold, which her mother takes, and soon after, he proposes marriage. Dobrunka, overjoyed, prepares for their union, but her mother remains indifferent, focusing on Zloboha. As Dobrunka and Dobromil marry, Zloboha and their mother plot against her. They lure Dobrunka to their cottage, where Zloboha brutally mutilates her sister and disguises herself in Dobrunka's clothes to deceive the king. Meanwhile, a hermit finds the injured Dobrunka and nurses her back to health, restoring her sight, hands, and feet through a series of magical exchanges involving a golden spinning wheel, distaff, and spindle. Zloboha, unaware of the consequences, uses the magical items, which sing out the truth of her treachery. Dobromil, upon hearing the spinning wheel's song, realizes he has been deceived and rushes to find Dobrunka. After a frantic search, he discovers her in the hermit's cave. They reunite, and Dobrunka shares her story. Returning to the palace, they expose Zloboha's wickedness, leading to her downfall. The golden spinning wheel disappears, and Dobrunka resumes her life, spinning beautiful shirts for her husband, ensuring their happiness and prosperity.
By Parker Fillmore · First published 1945 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Folklore