Diamonds and Toads

This story is called Diamonds and Toads by Charles Perrault. This is a LibraryCall adaptation and recording. Once upon a time, there was a cruel woman who had two daughters. The older daughter, Vivian, looked just like her mother and had a similarly foul temperament. The younger daughter, Isabelle, was good-natured and friendly. The woman spoiled her older daughter, showering Vivian with new clothes and expensive cuts of meat. Meanwhile, the mother ignored Isabelle and required her to work hard all day just to eat the scraps of food left behind by her sister. One of her many tasks was to fetch water from the fountain in the village, which was over a mile away, and carry it back home. One day, Isabelle had just filled her pitcher at the fountain when a trembling old woman said with a parched voice, “May I have some water?” "Yes, of course," replied the girl. Glad to show kindness to another person, Isabelle held the pitcher while the woman took a deep drink. After she finished drinking, the old woman looked at Isabelle and smiled. She was not actually the old peasant she appeared to be. She was, in fact, a fairy who rewarded good deeds! "Your face is kind and your heart is loving," said the fairy. "For your kindness to an old woman, I will give you a gift. Every time you speak, from your mouth shall come a magnificent jewel." Isabelle wasn’t sure what to think! But she didn’t have time to ponder what had happened; her mother was at home waiting for the pitcher of water. When the girl arrived at home, her mother scolded her for being away so long. “Don’t you know your sister and I have been sitting here dying of thirst,” she said. "I’m sorry you had to wait," Isabelle replied sincerely. As she spoke, to everyone’s astonishment, diamonds began to pour from Isabelle’s lips. "What is this, my dear?" asked the shocked mother. Happy to be called “my dear” by her mother, the girl eagerly shared what had happened with the old woman at the fountain. While she spoke, precious stones of blue, green, and white continued to drop from her mouth. The mother called her favorite daughter to come and see. “Vivian! You must see this!” "Would you like this same gift?" the mother asked her older daughter. "Go to the fountain and fetch some water. If an old woman asks you for a drink, treat her civilly and offer her your pitcher." “Ew, no! I would never let an old peasant drink from our pitcher! Plus, the water fountain is so far away!” the girl whined. The mother, finally losing patience, told her she must go. So, Vivian took the silver pitcher and sullenly obeyed. As soon as she arrived at the fountain, a richly dressed woman appeared and asked the girl for a drink. "I have not come here to serve you," Vivian rudely replied, "but take the pitcher and help yourself, for all I care." Well, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that the richly-dressed woman was actually the good deed fairy in a new disguise. "If this is how you treat others,” said the fairy, “I will make you a gift equal to your disrespectfulness. Every time you speak, a toad shall spring from your mouth." The girl ran home to her mother, who met her at the door. "Well, Vivian," she said, impatient to hear her speak. When Vivian opened her mouth, to the mother's horror, two fat toads jumped out. The mother looked on in horror and called out to her younger daughter, "This is your fault, Isabelle!" You must leave this house immediately and never come back!” That night, Isabelle wandered through the forest, looking for food and a place to sleep. At last, she collapsed on the forest floor and wept bitterly. The King's son, who was returning from a hunt, found her this way. “Why are you crying?” he asked. "My mother has driven me from my home and I’m not sure what to do," she told him. The prince offered her a place to stay at the palace. While Isabelle told the prince her story, sapphires and rubies fell from her lips. Over time, the two fell in love and were married. Meanwhile, the selfish daughter continued to spew leathery toads from her mouth until she learned to keep her unkind words to herself. This was Diamonds and Toads, a story by Charles Perrault. This has been a LibraryCall adaptation and recording.