In woeful tones I mean to tell 
tale of dread and wonder 
Whoever hears it, listen well, 
And on its meaning ponder. 
In Gibbau, by the Penne sea, 
In Pomerania, in Germany, 
These strange events unfolded. 

farmer lived in poverty there
Whose children were so many 
That he was driven in despair 
To beg for food and money. 
The eldest daughter bade adieu 
To sisters, brothers and parents too, 
To earn a servant's wages. 

Some time later her father's soul 
This earthly life departed. 
Her mother, who was lame and old, 
By stick and [bad word] supported, 
Upon her wealthy daughter called 
For help with the father's funeral, 
As is a daughter's duty. 
 [bad word] to me?" the daughter said 
"Give him a pauper's burial! 
I'll waste no money on the dead, 
Nor let my mind be troubled. 
Everyone sees the clothes I wear, 
But what does anybody care 
What grave the old man lies in?" 

Such words of [bad word] dismayed 
Her nobler-hearted mistress. 
She sent both money and food to aid 
The family in her kindness. 
The mistress gave two new-baked loaves 
And bade the daughter carry those 
Home to her needy mother. 

When she had gone a little way, 
Carrying the bread in anger, 
Despising her mistress's charity 
And cursing her starving mother, 
She came to a mud patch damp and deep 
- And this is what she did to keep 
Her fine new shoes unsullied: 

No stone nor plank nor bridge was there 
To help her on her journey. 
To leave her path she did not care 
- That way was long and dirty. 
The loaves of bread she threw straight down 
As stepping-stones to drier ground 
But this she soon regretted. 

Her feet stuck fast immediately 
When on the bread they landed. 
In vain she tried to pull them free, 
She cursed and swore and ranted. 
For like a stone stuck in the ground 
Her legs sank helpless deeper down 
- She could not even move them. 

She cries aloud, 
"Alas that I spurned 
The pleas of my kind old mother! 
This is the punishment I`ve earned, 
wretched, sinful daughter!" 
Each passer-by for help she begs, 
But none can free her earthbound legs 
However hard they [bad word]  

She had not spoken her last words 
In a voice trembling with terror 
Before the ground she stood on stirred 
And opened wide beneath her. 
In silent prayer her hands she clasped 
And sank until the earth at last 
All trace of her had covered. 

All you who hear this tale, take care, 
Lest your own pride betray you. 
Remember likewise to beware 
The tricks that greed can play you. 
Let this maid's fate warn everyone 
The sin of luxury to shun 
And vain, conceited living.