The Mythology & Folklore Database
However, the guardian angel that watches over every pious child never left her and always showed her the way home. But one time the guardian angel pretended to not be close at hand, and the child was unable to find her way out of the woods. She walked on and on until nightfall, when she saw a light burning in the distance.
She walked toward it, finally coming to a small hut. She knocked on the door, and it opened. Coming to a second door, she knocked there as well. An old man opened the door for her. He had a snow-white beard and looked very venerable. He was none other than Saint Joseph.
Very friendlily he said, "Come, dear child, take a seat on my chair by the fire and warm yourself while I get you some fresh water, if you are thirsty; but here in the forest I have nothing for you to eat except a few roots, which you must first scrape and then cook."
Saint Joseph handed her the roots, which she scraped clean. Then she brought forth the little piece of pancake and the bread that her mother had given her. Putting everything together into a pot next to the fire, she cooked some porridge for herself.
When it was ready Saint Joseph said, "I am hungry. Give me some of your meal."
The child was happy to do so, and gave him more than what she kept for herself, but God's blessing was with her, and she had all that she wanted to eat.
After they had eaten, Saint Joseph said, "Let us go to bed now. I have only one bed. You can sleep in it and I'll lie down on some straw on the floor."
"No," she answered. "You sleep in your bed. The straw is soft enough for me."
However, Saint Joseph took the child into his arms and carried her to the bed. She said her prayers and fell asleep.
The next morning when she awoke she wanted to say "good morning" to Saint Joseph, but she did not see him. She got up and looked everywhere for him but could not find him in any corner. Finally she saw a bag of money behind the door, so heavy that she could barely carry it. On it was written that it was for the child who had slept there that night.
She took the bag and returned to her mother with it. And because she gave all the money to her mother, the mother had to be satisfied with her.
The next day the second child wanted to go into the woods as well. The mother gave her a much larger piece of pancake and bread. The same thing happened to her as with the first child. In the evening she came to Saint Joseph's hut, and he gave her some roots for porridge.
When it was ready he said to her, as before, "I am hungry. Give me some of your meal."
The child answered, "Share with me."
Afterward when Saint Joseph offered her his bed, saying that he would sleep on some straw, she said, "No, let's sleep in the bed together. There is plenty of room for both of us."
Saint Joseph took her into his arms and laid her on the bed, then he himself slept on the straw.
In the morning the child awoke and looked for Saint Joseph, but he had disappeared. Behind the door she found a bag of money. It was as long as a hand, and on it was written that it was for the child who had slept there that night. She ran home with it and gave it to her mother; however, she secretly kept a few coins for herself.
Now the oldest daughter had become very curious, so the next morning she too wanted to go into the woods. The mother gave her as many pancakes as she wanted, as well as bread and cheese. In the evening she found Saint Joseph in his hut just as the other two had done.
When the porridge was ready Saint Joseph said, "I am hungry. Give me some of your meal."
She answered, "Just wait until I am full, then you can have whatever is left over."
She ate nearly everything, and Saint Joseph had to scrape off the leftovers from the bowl.
Afterward the good old man offered her his bed, saying that he would sleep on some straw. This she freely accepted, and let the old man sleep on the hard floor.
The next morning when she awoke, Saint Joseph was nowhere to be seen, but she was not at all concerned about him. She looked behind the door for the moneybag. She thought that something was lying there on the floor, but unable to see what it was, she bent down until she touched it with her nose. It stuck to her nose, and when she straightened up she saw to her fright that it was a second nose. She began to cry and the howl, but nothing helped. She had to look at her nose, which stuck out far from her face. Crying out, she ran away.
She finally came to Saint Joseph. She fell at his feet and begged him so long that he finally took pity and removed the nose; then he even gave her a few pennies.
When she arrived at home the mother asked, "What gift did you receive?'
She lied, saying, "A large bag filled with money, but I lost it on the way home."
"Lost!" cried the mother. "Then we'll go and find it!"
She took the child by the hand and wanted to look for the money. The child began to cry and did not want to go, but finally they went off together. On the way they were approached by so many lizards and snakes that they did not know how to escape. The lizards and snakes bit the child until she died, and they also bit the mother in the foot, because she had not better brought up the child.