Maria went down to the river and washed herself, but she could not reach her back. She cried and cried in her misery. Then an enormous crab appeared. The crab spoke kindly to her. When she (it was a female crab) heard what Maria was crying for, she said: “Turn round, and I will scratch your back with my pincers.”

Maria did so. Soon she was as clean and pretty as ever. Then the crab put something on the girl’s forehead and said: “Now listen carefully, Maria. You must eat me now, then bury my shell in a secret place where only you can find it.”

The crab then died.

Maria ate the delicious flesh. She was very hungry, since her stepmother seldom gave her any food. Then she buried the shell in a corner of the wood.

When Maria came home, her family was amazed to see a ruby on her forehead, where the magical crab had placed it. The stone could not be removed.

Maria’s stepmother then had an idea. She told her own daughter to go and wash in the river. But no crab appeared, only a crocodile, which splashed water into her face with its tail.

When the ugly stepsister came home, she had a tiny brass bell on her forehead. The bell tinkled all the time and could not be removed. The people in the streets laughed at the girl, thinking she wanted to sell something.

From this day on, the stepmother became even more cruel. She was jealous because Maria had that shining ruby on her forehead.

One fine Sunday the stepmother said she wanted to go to church. She demanded that Maria cook a good dinner within the hour. Then she left. Maria cried, for she had nothing to cook dinner with. Suddenly, a kindly old woman appeared. “You may go to church now,” said the old woman,  “for I will cook that dinner for you.”

Maria hesitated: “But I have nothing to put on.”