Adapted from Lawton B. Evans
At the edge of a stream, some young girls talked, telling them advantages of their beautiful hands. One dipped her hands in the sparkling water, and the drops that fell from her palms even looked like diamonds.
- Look how beautiful my hands are! The water flows in them like precious jewels, ”she said, raising her hands for the others to admire.
They were very soft and white, because all they did was wash them in clean, cold water.
Another girl ran to pick strawberries and crushed them in her palms. The juice ran down his fingers like trodden wine until his fingers turned pink like the sky in the rising sun.
- See what beautiful hands mine! Strawberry juice drips through them like wine, ”she said, raising her hands for the others to admire.
They were very pink and soft, because all they did was wash them with strawberry juice every morning.
Another girl picked violets and crushed them in her hands until they were very fragrant.
- Look how beautiful my hands! They are fragrant like the violets of the spring woods, ”she said, raising her hands for the others to admire.
They were very soft and white, because all they did was wash them with violets every morning.
The Fourth Girl didn't show her hands, leaving them in her lap. An old woman came walking down the road and stopped near the girls. They showed him his hands, asking which were the most beautiful. For each she shook her head and then asked to see the hands of the last girl holding them in her lap. She raised her hands shyly.
"Um, these hands are very clean," said the woman, "but they are hardened by work." These hands help parents by washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, cleaning the windows and planting the garden. These hands take care of the baby, bring hot tea to Grandma, and teach the little brother how to stack the kites and fly kites. Yes, these hands are very busy making the house a happy home, full of love and affection.
Then the old woman rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a diamond ring with rubies redder than strawberry and turquoise blues than violets.
- Take it, wear this ring, honey. You deserve the prize for the most beautiful hands because they are the most useful.
And the woman disappeared, leaving the girls sitting by the creek.
