The White Bride and the Black One (Grimm)
Short summary
A poor man asked three women for directions. The mother and daughter were rude, but the stepdaughter offered help.
God cursed the cruel women to become black and ugly. The stepdaughter's brother Reginer painted her portrait. The King saw it and sent him to bring her as his bride. During the journey, the stepmother tricked the bride.
When the bride stood up and leant forward out of the carriage, they both pushed her out, and she fell into the middle of the water. At the same moment that she sank, a snow-white duck arose
The King married the black daughter. The duck visited thrice. The King cut its neck, revealing the white bride. The evil women were punished.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The encounter with God and the divine blessing and curse
A woman went to the unenclosed land with her daughter and stepdaughter to cut fodder when a poor man approached them asking for directions to the village. The mother rudely told him to find his way himself, while her daughter added that he should take a guide if he was afraid of getting lost.
But the stepdaughter said, 'Poor man, I will take you there, come with me.' Then God was angry with the mother and daughter, and turned his back on them
The poor man was actually God in disguise, testing their kindness. He cursed the mother and daughter to become as black as night and as ugly as sin for their cruelty. However, he blessed the compassionate stepdaughter.
Choose three things for thyself, and I will grant them to thee... Do not forget what is best of all... For my third wish, I desire, after my death, to inhabit the eternal kingdom of Heaven
The portrait and the Kings marriage proposal
The stepdaughter had a beloved brother named Reginer who worked as the King's coachman.
He painted his sister's portrait and hung it in his room, visiting it daily out of love for her. The court attendants became jealous and informed the King about the coachman's daily visits to the beautiful picture.
When the King saw the portrait, he fell mortally in love with it as it resembled his deceased wife but was even more beautiful. He resolved to marry no one but the woman in the portrait and sent Reginer with a carriage to fetch his chosen bride.
The deceptive journey and the brides transformation
When Reginer arrived, his sister was glad, but the stepmother and her daughter were consumed with jealousy.
Using her witchcraft, the stepmother troubled Reginer's eyes so he became half-blind and stopped the white maiden's ears so she became half-deaf. They set off in the carriage with the bride in royal apparel, followed by the stepmother and her daughter.
During the journey, Reginer repeatedly called out protective verses to his sister.
Cover thee well, my sister dear,
That the rain may not wet thee,
That the wind may not load thee with dust,
That thou may'st be fair and beautiful
When thou appearest before the King
Each time, the stepmother deceived the bride by claiming her brother wanted her to give her golden dress, then her golden hood to her stepsister. Finally, when they reached a bridge over deep water, the stepmother claimed the brother wanted the bride to look out of the carriage. When she did, both women pushed her into the water, where she drowned and transformed into a snow-white duck.
The ducks revelation and final justice
Reginer, still blinded by witchcraft, brought the black daughter to the King believing she was his sister. The King was horrified by her ugliness and threw the coachman into a pit of snakes, but the witch's magic made him eventually marry the black bride.
For three nights, the white duck came to the palace kitchen, asking the kitchen-boy about her brother and the black witch.
What is my brother Reginer doing?... He is imprisoned in the pit with adders and with snakes... What is the black witch doing in the house?... She is loved by the King and happy