The Golden Spinning Wheel

 by Lisl Weil• illustrated by Jackie Beyer • Music By Antonin Dvorak

I have to say these pictures of my paintings definitely don’t do them justice….

Once a long time ago, a young king and his men went off to do battle. As they crossed a dense forest, the king heard lovely music. Where did it come from? What could it be? He followed the sound deeper and deeper into the forest.

 

Soon he came to a clearing. There in the center he saw a golden spinning wheel, humming and singing as it spun. Sitting at the spinning wheel, holding the spindle was a young girl. As their eyes met, the king and the beautiful girl fell in love.

 

Her name was Dornischka, she said, and she lived in a nearby cottage with her stepmother and step sister. The king knew at once that he wanted Dornischka to be his beloved bride. He asked her stepmother for Donischka’s hand. The proposal was accepted and the wedding feast was set of the day the king returned from battle. 

 

As he waved farewell, little did the king know what Dornischka’s stepmother had in mind. Something that was not nice at all. But first there was one thing she must do. How unkind to tie poor Dornischka to her spinning wheel! 

 

Now the wicked stepmother was ready to carry out her plan to trick the king. The heavy veil over her daughter’s face would keep the king from finding out about his false bride until the wedding had taken place.

 

The mean stepmother was pleased with herself. They arrived at the castle just as the king and his men returned from battle. Rejoice, rejoice, my beautiful bride is here!” called the happy king. He gave orders for the wedding festivities to begin. 

 

Meanwhile in the forest Dornischka cried bitterly. It grew darker and darker. And then…

With thunder and lightning an old little man appeared.

 

He lifted his arms… and the golden spinning wheel became a golden bird.

 

In a moment Dornischka was flying high over the forest. Where were they going?

 

At the castle everyone talked excitedly about the great event!

“See the happy king and his bride!”

“Oh what a handsome couple!”

“Look at the proud mother in her splendid robe!”

 

Suddenly the door burst open and the room filled with the music the king had heard in the forest. In flew a lovely girl on a golden bird. It was Dornischka!

 

The king realized what had happened. He pulled away the wedding veil and there was the ugly stepsister. He was furious. So were the stepmother and her daughter. The king had them flung into prison with the wild wolves.

 

Dornischka and the king were married at once and lived happily ever after. The golden bird turned back into a spinning wheel. And as to the little old man in the forest. Nobody knows who he was but that is how it should be in a tale of magic.

The end.