The Juniper Tree: The Just Desserts
Soon after, a beautiful bird rose from the tree. The bird, having sung for a goldsmith, a shoemaker, and a miller in exchange for gifts, returns home. When the bird returns, it sings a haunting verse:
“My mother, she killed me,
father, he ate me,
My sister Marlene gathered all my bones
Tied them in a silken scarf,
Laid them beneath the juniper tree,
Tweet, tweet, what a beautiful bird am I.”
Marlene felt sadness from the verse. The father feel content happy, like greeting an old friend. The stepmother felt horror and fear. After the verse, the bird gave the father a gold chain. The bird gave Marlene a pair of red shoes to cheer her up. And the stepmother? She got a millstone to the head, killing her. Upon her death, the boy returned to life, where he, his father, and Marlene happily shared a meal.
