The sky was blue, and a fresh breeze played
on their faces; but how melancholy everything looked all around! Her
father's castle lay in ruins, the town and the villages were, so far as
could be seen, destroyed by fire, the fields far and wide laid to waste,
and no human being was visible. When the opening in the wall was large
enough for them to slip through, the waiting-maid sprang down first,
and then Maid Maleen followed. But where were they to go? The enemy
had ravaged the whole kingdom, driven away the King, and slain all the
inhabitants. They wandered forth to seek another country, but nowhere
did they find a shelter, or a human being to give them a mouthful of
bread, and their need was so great that they were forced to appease
their hunger with nettles. When, after long journeying, they came into
another country, they tried to get work everywhere; but wherever they
knocked they were turned away, and no one would have pity on them. At
last they arrived in a large city and went to the royal palace. There
also they were ordered to go away, but at last the cook said that they
might stay in the kitchen and be scullions.
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