About Twelve Months
(according to Božena Němcová)
In the VILLAGE, there lived a GOOD GIRL named Maruška, her STEPMOTHER and her STEPSISTER Holena. Maruška worked a lot, but her STEPMOTHER and Holena were BAD.
In the winter, the STEPMOTHER WANTED violets and said: “Bring me BLUE FLOWERS – violets!” Maruška went to the snow to get violets. She went into the FOREST, there was WHITE snow everywhere and she SAW a fire. TWELVE OLD men were sitting around the fire.
The FIRST one asked: “WHAT do you WANT, Maruška?” “Please, I NEED violets for my STEPMOTHER,” said Maruška.
The SECOND man waved his stick. The snow disappeared, the SUN began to shine, and violets grew. Maruška picked them, thanked them and went HOME.
The STEPMOTHER and Holena were SURPRISED.
THE NEXT DAY Holena WANTED RED strawberries. Maruška went to the FOREST again to the fire. Another man made the magic and the strawberries grew.
THE THIRD DAY, the STEPMOTHER WANTED APPLES. Maruška went to the fire again. The men HELPED Maruška. Maruška brought HOME TWO APPLES.
The STEPMOTHER and Holena WANTED a lot of APPLES. But they were BAD and the WIND blew them.
The end.
About Twelve Months
(according to Božena Němcová)
In the VILLAGE, there lived a GOOD GIRL named Maruška with her STEPMOTHER and her DAUGHTER Holena. The STEPMOTHER was mean and Holena was LAZY. Maruška had to work and Holena lay in bed.
One winter, Holena said: “I WANT violets!” The STEPMOTHER said to Maruška: “Go to the FOREST for violets!” Maruška was SAD, but she went to the FOREST.
The WIND was blowing OUTSIDE, it was freezing, and Maruška was TIRED. At that moment, she SAW a light – a fire and twelve men – the months sitting around the fire. The OLDEST of them, January, had a LONG WHITE coat and a stick in his hand.
“WHY did you come, Maruška?” January asked. “I go for violets,” said Maruška.
March used his magic, the SUN shone and the violets grew. Maruška picked them, thanked them, and went HOME.
The STEPMOTHER and Holena were SURPRISED. “She’s a witch,” they said.
THE NEXT DAY Holena said: “Maruška, go to the FOREST for strawberries.”
Maruška went to the FOREST. The month June used his magic and RED strawberries grew. Maruška picked them into a bowl.
THE THIRD DAY Holena WANTED APPLES. Maruška went to the FOREST again. The month of September made RED APPLES on the trees.
Maruška picked TWO APPLES. The STEPMOTHER and Holena got ANGRY and said: “We WANT more APPLES.” And they went to the FOREST.
Around the fire they sit the month. “Give us more APPLES!”
January said: “You are BAD, we will give you frost!” He made the magic and there are no women..
The end.
About Twelve Months
(according to Božena Němcová)
In a SMALL VILLAGE in Bohemia, there lived a GIRL named Maruška. She was kind and hardworking, but she had a HARD life. After her MOTHER DIED, her FATHER remarried. Her STEPMOTHER and her DAUGHTER Holena did not LIKE Maruška.
One winter, Holena said: “I WANT FRESH violets!”
Her STEPMOTHER said to Maruška: “Go for the violets NOW!”
Maruška put on a WARM woolen scarf and went into the FOREST.
The WIND was blowing, it was snowing. Maruška SAW a light.
There was a fire and twelve OLD men around. The OLDEST man, January, with a LONG beard, had a stick in his hand.
Maruška went to the fire and the men asked her WHY she was in the FOREST. Maruška said WHY she had come. March did magic. The SUN began to shine and violets grew. Maruška picked them and thanked them.
The STEPMOTHER and Holena were very SURPRISED!
THE NEXT DAY Holena said: “I WANT strawberries!”
Maruška went to the FOREST again. The month June used his magic and SWEET, RED strawberries grew. Maruška picked them and returned HOME.
On THE THIRD DAY, the stepmother WANTED APPLES. Maruška went to the FOREST again. And she brought TWO RED APPLES. But Holena WANTED more APPLES. The STEPMOTHER and Holena went to get APPLES.
By the fire, the STEPMOTHER said to the months: “Give us more APPLES!”
January got ANGRY. He did the magic. The wind started blowing and carried both women away.
Maruška THEN lived happily in her VILLAGE
The end.
