In a cozy little cottage, nestled beside a whispering wood, lived a sweet girl named Lily. She was as hardworking as the busiest bee and as kind as a summer day. But alas, her stepmother was a grumpy woman with a heart like a sour lemon, and her stepsister was just as lazy and unkind. They made Lily do all the chores, from scrubbing the floors to mending their clothes.

One chilly morning, the stepmother said, "Lily, go into the forest and fill this basket with ripe strawberries. And don't come back until it's full!"
Lily’s shoulders slumped. "But Stepmother," she said gently, "it's winter! There are no strawberries now."
"Nonsense! Go!" snapped the stepmother.

With a heavy heart, Lily trudged into the snowy woods. She searched and searched, but of course, found nothing but frost and bare branches. Just as tears began to well in her eyes, a little old woman with twinkling eyes and a kind smile appeared.
"Why so sad, my dear?" she asked.
Lily explained her impossible task.
The old woman chuckled. "Wipe your tears. Look under that big oak tree."
Lily looked, and to her amazement, beneath the snow-covered leaves, was a patch of the juiciest, reddest strawberries she had ever seen! She quickly filled her basket, thanked the old woman, and hurried home.

The stepmother was furious that Lily had succeeded. The next day, she gave Lily an even harder task. "Take this spoon with a hole in it," she cackled, "and empty the big pond by the willow tree before sunset!"
Lily nearly cried. "But this spoon will never hold water!"
"Then you'd better be quick!" sneered the stepsister.

Lily went to the pond, her heart sinking. As she dipped the leaky spoon, the kind old woman appeared again. "Another tricky task, I see?" she said. With a wave of her hand and a secret little rhyme, the pond began to shrink, and soon it was completely empty! Lily thanked her magical friend with all her heart.

The stepmother was beside herself with rage. "Tomorrow," she declared, "you will build me a beautiful castle on the hill, finer than any king's, and it must be ready by lunchtime!"
This time, Lily didn't even know what to say. She just went to the hill and sat down, feeling hopeless.
Sure enough, the kind old woman arrived. "A castle, is it?" she said with a smile. "Close your eyes, dear."
Lily closed her eyes. When she opened them, there stood the most magnificent castle imaginable, sparkling in the sun!
"Now listen carefully," said the old woman. "A handsome Prince will come to see this castle. Tell him it is yours, and that you built it. But whatever you do, ask for his permission before you leave his sight, even to speak to your stepmother."

Soon, a handsome Prince rode by. He was astonished by the beautiful castle and even more enchanted by Lily. "Did you build this wondrous place?" he asked.
"Yes, Your Highness," Lily replied shyly.
The Prince was so impressed and charmed by her sweetness that he asked her to be his bride. Lily was overjoyed! "Oh, Prince," she said, "may I quickly tell my stepmother the good news?"
"Of course, my dear," he replied.

But when Lily told her stepmother, the wicked woman and her daughter had a plan. They pushed Lily into a dark cellar, snatched her pretty dress, and put it on the lazy stepsister. Then, the stepmother brought her own daughter to the Prince. "Here is the clever girl who built the castle!" she announced.
The Prince was a little puzzled because this girl didn't seem as lovely or as gentle as the one he remembered, but the stepmother insisted. So, believing he was marrying the clever girl, the Prince took the stepsister to his palace for the wedding.

Poor Lily was forgotten. Eventually, she managed to escape the cellar and found work far away as a goose-girl, tending a flock of geese near a pond. She was very sad and often whispered her troubles to the wind.
One day, as she sat by the goose pond, she sighed, "Oh, kind old woman, if you only knew! The Prince I loved married another, it's true! He thinks she built the castle, so grand and tall, but it was I, with your help, who did it all!"

Just then, the Prince happened to be riding nearby. He heard her soft, sad voice. "That voice!" he thought. "It sounds so familiar!" He rode closer and saw Lily. He remembered her sweet face and the story she told in her lament. Suddenly, everything became clear! He realized he had been tricked.

The Prince galloped back to his palace. He questioned the stepsister about the strawberries in winter and emptying the pond with a leaky spoon. Of course, she knew nothing.
Then, he brought Lily to the palace. "This," he declared, "is the true clever girl, my real bride!"
The stepmother and stepsister were so ashamed and angry, but their tricks were over. They were sent far, far away to a place where they had to scrub their own floors and fetch their own water, which they did not enjoy one bit!

And Lily, the true clever girl, married the Prince. They had a wonderful party, and everyone agreed she was the kindest and most wonderful princess the kingdom had ever seen. And they all lived happily, with lots of laughter and sunshine, from that day on.

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