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Once upon a time there lived a greedy king. He wanted to marry a rich princess but was unable to find a suitable bride. The king had a hobby. He used to move around his Kingdom on his horse, whenever he felt like, without informing anyone. |
| There also lived a poor miller in another part of his kingdom, who had a very beautiful and talented daughter. The miller was very proud of her daughter and had very high hopes about her future. One day the king felt that he has not visited his kingdom for a long time and decided to make a visit. He started on his royal horse. |
| Far away he sighted a lonely house. The house belonged to a miller. As the king approached the miller, he saluted the king and said “Oh King! Excuse me for my untidy clothes. My house is too small and simple to have you in. But I possess something that you do not have”. He introduced her daughter to the king as a very beautiful and talented lady. |
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“Very talented? Can she turn hay into gold?” the king asked the miller sarcastically. Without any hesitation, the miller replied that her daughter is capable of turning hay into gold. The king ordered that the girl be brought to the palace and locked in a cellar with a pile of hay in it. |
| The King came into the cellar and asked the lady to turn the pile of hay into gold by next morning. She would be given a death penalty if she fails, he said. The terrified girl sat on the hay and cried, “I can never change this hay into gold. It is certain that I would be put to death. |
| As she laid in despair on the hay, she suddenly heard footsteps near the door. She saw the door opening as she got up to sit upright. Through the door, entered a dwarf who was dressed in bright clothes and with a funny hat on his head. He had a long crooked nose with an evil smile on his face. |
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| “Nothing to fear. I have come only to help you,” he told the surprised girl. |
