Household Tales · Chapter
The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle explained
An orphaned girl is raised by her godmother, who teaches her spinning, weaving, and sewing.
What happens
An orphaned girl is raised by her godmother, who teaches her spinning, weaving, and sewing. Upon the godmother's death, she inherits a small house and the tools of her trade. Through her industriousness and virtue, she prospers. A prince seeking a bride who is both poorest and richest discovers her. Through the magical aid of her spindle, shuttle, and needle, she summons the prince, who declares her the poorest and richest, marries her, and treasures her tools in the royal castle.
Themes in this chapter
Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished
The maiden's industriousness, piety, and kindness are rewarded with prosperity and marriage to the prince, while the rich girl's pride is overlooked.
Magic and the Supernatural
The spindle, shuttle, and needle come to life and perform magical tasks to guide the prince to the maiden and adorn her home.
Social Class and Marriage
The prince's quest to marry the poorest yet richest girl challenges conventional class boundaries, valuing inner virtue over wealth.
Characters to notice
- the maiden
The orphaned girl who lives alone after her godmother's death, industriously spinning, weaving, and sewing, and who uses her magical tools to attract the prince.
- the young King
The prince traveling to find a bride who is both the poorest and richest, who is guided by the magical spindle to the maiden's house.
- the rich man
The rich girl in the village who is named as the richest, but is not chosen by the prince.
Key passages
“Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go well with thee.”
Keep your faith and goodness, and everything will turn out fine.
The godmother's blessing emphasizes the importance of piety and virtue.
“Thou art the poorest and also the richest.”
You are the most poor and yet the most wealthy.
The prince's declaration that the maiden embodies both poverty and richness, referring to her material poverty and inner wealth.