Episode 37
The Lazy Beauty and Her Aunts
Get ready to kick back and dive into the tale of the lazy beauty and her aunts, where we uncover the sneaky side of hard work—or the lack thereof! So, this girl is basically a master of dodging chores, turning heads while avoiding any actual effort like it’s her full-time job. But when her mom kicks her out for being as useful as a chocolate teapot, she stumbles into the company of some seriously hard-working aunts who show her the ropes—or, well, the spinning wheel, to be precise. Spoiler alert: she learns the art of deception, convincing everyone she’s the hardest worker in the land while putting in zero effort herself! This story is a cheeky reminder that sometimes, it’s not about what you do, but how you make folks see you do it—kind of like pretending to be busy while scrolling through your phone. So, grab your snack, and let’s unravel this clever tale together!
Transcript
Hello, and welcome back to Bite Sized Folklore, where I, Jodie Patterson, explore the eerie, enchanting and sometimes cheeky stories from Irish and Scottish tradition, all in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A:Now, not every folk tale is about ghostly riders or vengeful spirits.
Speaker A:Some are a little closer to home, about family appearances and the sort of life hacks you probably shouldn't try at home.
Speaker A:Today's Irish tale is one of those.
Speaker A:It's about a girl who really, really didn't like to work, and how she ended up convincing everyone that she was the hardest worker in the whole of Ireland.
Speaker A:So grab your cuppa or whatever you're snacking on, and let's get into it.
Speaker A:This is the lazy beauty and her aunts.
Speaker A:Once upon a time, in a quiet little village surrounded by green hills and gossip, there lived a girl whose beauty was the talk of the parish.
Speaker A:People swore she could turn heads just by walking down the lane.
Speaker A:But if you asked her to sweep that lane, she'd vanish faster than you could fetch a broom.
Speaker A:This girl had a talent for avoiding chores.
Speaker A:It was almost impressive.
Speaker A:If her mother asked her to milk the cows, she'd be about to rest her eyes if the bread needed kneading.
Speaker A:Her wrists were suddenly too delicate for such rough work.
Speaker A:And spinning.
Speaker A:She wouldn't go near a wheel if you paid her.
Speaker A:One morning, after yet another day of doing absolutely nothing, her mother snapped, that's it.
Speaker A:If you won't work in this house, you won't eat in it either.
Speaker A:Out you go.
Speaker A:And so the girl, with nothing but her beauty and the clothes she stood in, set off down the road.
Speaker A:She walked until she came to a little rise where an old woman sat spinning wool.
Speaker A:The wheel hummed.
Speaker A:The spindle danced.
Speaker A:Would you like to learn?
Speaker A:The old woman asked, all friendly like.
Speaker A:The girl wrinkled her perfect nose.
Speaker A:Spinning makes your fingers sore and ugly.
Speaker A:The old woman just smiled.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And as we all know in folklore, an old woman smiling like that is rarely a good sign.
Speaker A:She said, come along with me.
Speaker A:Too curious and too lazy to invent an excuse, the girl followed her.
Speaker A:They came to a tidy cottage.
Speaker A:Inside there were two more women.
Speaker A:One had a big nose so long it touched her chin.
Speaker A:The other's lips were so thick they nearly covered her whole face.
Speaker A:They welcomed her warmly, offered her tea, and then, over their cups, explained their unusual features.
Speaker A:This nose, said the first, comes from holding the distaff between chin and nose all my life.
Speaker A:These lips, said the second, come from wetting the thread day after day, year after year.
Speaker A:The girl was horrified.
Speaker A:Was this what work did to a person.
Speaker A:She silently vowed to avoid it at all costs.
Speaker A:But the old woman had other ideas.
Speaker A:You'll stay and help us, she said.
Speaker A:And surprisingly, the girl did.
Speaker A:She learned to spin, weave and bake quickly and neatly.
Speaker A:Maybe fear of ending up like her ants was better motivation than any scolding her mother had ever tried.
Speaker A:One fine day, while the ants were working and the girl was for once, actually spinning, a handsome young prince came riding past the cottage.
Speaker A:He stopped to rest his horse, stepped inside, and the moment he saw her, well, let's just say she had his full attention.
Speaker A:He looked around, curious.
Speaker A:Are these your family?
Speaker A:Oh, yes, she said sweetly.
Speaker A:And they taught me everything I know about spinning.
Speaker A:The prince's eyes went from her flawless beauty to the bent backs, long nose and thick lips of the older woman.
Speaker A:In his mind, the conclusion was obvious.
Speaker A:This girl must be the most industrious young woman alive.
Speaker A:Look what years of spitting did to her poor aunts.
Speaker A:He decided right there.
Speaker A:He had found his bride.
Speaker A:They married not long after in a celebration the whole kingdom attended.
Speaker A:The aunts were given places of honour in the palace, spoken of with great respect as master craftswomen.
Speaker A:And as for our new princess, the prince determined she would never suffer the hardships that had so altered her.
Speaker A:Aunts declared she was now to never spin again.
Speaker A:And she didn't.
Speaker A:Not a single stitch ever again.
Speaker A:Yet everyone still believed she was the hardest working woman on the land.
Speaker A:And she.
Speaker A:Well, she let them believe it.
Speaker A:So what's this story really about?
Speaker A:It's a sly poke at the idea that appearances tell the whole story.
Speaker A:It gives a little glimpse into the real physical toil of work, like spinning and weaving jobs that women in rural Ireland did every single day.
Speaker A:And it's a reminder that in both folklore and life, the story people tell about you can matter more than the truth.
Speaker A:Some see it as a cautionary tale about laziness, but personally, I think it's more about cleverness and how she used the assumptions of others to her advantage.
Speaker A:Not exactly a moral you'd put on a school poster, but very memorable.
Speaker A:And that's it for the tale of the lazy beauty and her aunts.
Speaker A:It's proof that in some folk stories, hard work doesn't always win the day.
Speaker A:Sometimes you just have to look like you've done it.
Speaker A:If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who'd rather take a nap than do the dishes.
Speaker A:I'll be back soon with more eerie, enchanting and occasionally mischievous stories from the Celtic shores.
Speaker A:Until then, stay curious stay cozy and I'll see you next time.
