“Go to the place where you buried the crab’s shell and take what you find there,” the old woman told her.

Maria went to the corner of the wood. There she found that where she had buried the shell, a tree now stood. On the tree grew a single large fruit. Just then the fruit opened up and out came the most beautiful golden dress and a carriage with six horses.

Maria quickly put on the dress—and the shoes that had come with it—and took her seat in the carriage. Off it went, straight to the cathedral in the city. Maria entered the cathedral and sat down on the only chair that was still vacant, opposite the king, who was also attending mass there.

When the king saw Maria he fell in love with her, for he was still young and unmarried. Unfortunately, before she had been there an hour, Maria had to hurry out of the church, otherwise she would be too late to serve her stepmother dinner. In her haste, she left one of her tiny shoes on the steps of the building. This was the only trace of her the king found when he raced out of the church after Maria.

The king ordered three high officials to visit every house in the kingdom with the little shoe. They were to try it on the foot of every girl they could find.

On hearing this, the stepmother put Maria in a sack and placed it in the loft. The evil woman told Maria that she would be killed if she made a noise. When the king’s men arrived, they saw only the stepmother’s daughter. But her feet were much too big for the tiny shoe.

Suddenly the officials heard a cock in the loft, crowing:

Kikiriki! Look here! Look here!
Kikiriki! The girl is here!
Kikiriki! The shoe will fit!

The king’s men climbed into the loft, found the sack, and brought it down. When they opened it, they found Maria. They placed the shoe on her tiny foot and saw that it fitted her perfectly. So they took Maria to the palace. When the stepmother protested, she was arrested for opposing the king’s wishes and hiding the bride they sought.