Once upon a time, there was a mother who had three daughters. The eldest was rude and mean, the middle one was slightly better but also had her flaws, and the youngest was a devout and kind child. However, the mother had a peculiar nature—she loved the eldest daughter the most and could not stand the youngest one.
So she often sent her deep into the forest to get rid of her, hoping that she would get lost and never return. But the guardian angel that every good child has never abandoned her and always guided her back to the right path.
One day, however, the angel remained hidden, as if he were not there, and the girl could not find her way out of the forest. She wandered until evening, when she suddenly saw a faint light in the distance. She ran toward it and came to a small hut. She knocked on the door, it opened, and she stepped inside. Behind it was another door, on which she knocked again. An old man with a long, snow-white beard, who looked venerable, opened the door—it was Saint Joseph. He kindly invited her in: “Come in, dear child, sit on my stool by the fire and warm yourself. If you are thirsty, I will bring you fresh water, but I have nothing to eat in the forest except a few roots, which you must scrape and cook.”
Saint Joseph gave her the roots. The girl scraped them, added a piece of pancake and bread that her mother had given her, mixed everything together, and cooked a thick soup. When it was ready, Saint Joseph said, “I am so hungry, give me some of your food.” The girl gladly agreed and gave him more than she kept for herself.
After dinner, Saint Joseph said, “Now we shall go to sleep, but I have only one bed. Lie in it, and I will make a bed on the straw.” The girl replied, “No, stay in your bed, the straw is soft enough for me.”
In the morning, when she woke up, she wanted to greet Saint Joseph, but he was nowhere to be seen. Finally, she found a heavy pouch full of money behind the door, with a note stating that it was for the child who had slept there. She took the pouch and ran home. She gave the money to her mother, who was so pleased that she praised her for the first time.
The next day, the middle daughter decided to go into the forest as well. Her mother gave her a larger piece of pancake and bread. Everything happened to her just as it had to the first daughter. In the evening, she arrived at Saint Joseph’s hut, where he gave her roots for soup. When the soup was ready, Saint Joseph said, “I am so hungry, give me some of your food.” The girl replied, “You may have your share.”
When Saint Joseph offered her the bed and wanted to sleep on the straw, she replied, “Lie in the bed, there is enough space for both of us.” Saint Joseph let her sleep in the bed and lay on the straw himself. In the morning, when she woke up, Saint Joseph had disappeared, but she found a small pouch of money behind the door. She secretly kept two coins for herself and brought the rest to her mother.
The eldest daughter became curious, and on the third day, she insisted on going into the forest as well. Her mother gave her as many pancakes as she wanted, along with bread and cheese. In the evening, she found Saint Joseph’s hut, just like her sisters. When the soup was ready and Saint Joseph said, “I am so hungry, give me some of your food,” she replied, “Wait until I eat. If there is anything left, you can have it.” But she ate almost everything, and Saint Joseph had to scrape the leftovers from the bowl.
When Saint Joseph offered her the bed, she took it for herself without hesitation and left the old man to sleep on the straw. In the morning, when she woke up, Saint Joseph was gone. She looked for the pouch of money but found something on the ground instead. When she bent down to examine it, something stuck to her nose. To her horror, she realized that it was a second nose, firmly attached to her own. She started screaming and ran away until she stumbled upon Saint Joseph. She fell at his feet and pleaded until he took pity on her, removed the nose, and even gave her two pennies.
When she returned home, her mother asked, “What did you get?” She lied and replied, “A large pouch of money, but I lost it on the way.”
“Lost it?” the mother exclaimed. “We will find it!” She grabbed her daughter’s hand, and they went to search for it. However, on the way, a fog suddenly fell upon them, and they got lost. No one ever searched for them again.
