Marienkind

Read this tale aloud, or read along with your little one. Sentences are short and the words are simple.

Once a little girl lived with Our Lady. Our Lady gave her many good things. But the girl said: I never go into the tower.

One day she opened the tower door. Inside was light and gold. She touched it with her finger.

The finger turned gold. She hid it. Our Lady asked: did you go in?

The girl said: no. Our Lady saw the gold finger. She said: I gave you so much.

Now you will lose it all. She walked out into the world. The girl had no hands any more.

She prayed. One day a king came by. He saw her.

He said: I will marry you. She lived in the castle. After three years a baby came.

Our Lady came back. She said: tell me where the gold finger is. The queen said: I would rather lose my baby.

Our Lady took the baby. The queen wept. Our Lady came again.

The queen said the same. The baby was gone. The third time the king came in.

He said: tell me where the gold finger is. The queen showed him the finger. The king took it back to Our Lady.

Our Lady gave the baby back. And the gold finger was gone. The queen was happy again.