Habetrot and Scantlie Mab
by Unknown · from More English Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once there was a girl named Lily. Lily loved to play outside. The Mother was worried. Lily did not like to work. She could not spin wool. The Mother wanted Lily to spin. Her mother wanted her to learn. Spinning was a good skill.
One day, The Mother gave Lily much wool. "You must spin this," she said. "Spin this in three days." Lily felt worried. It was a very big pile.
Lily tried to spin. Her hands were not good. She could not spin the wool. Lily felt very sad. She tried and tried again. The wool stayed lumpy. Lily began to cry. She went to a little hill. She sat down.
An old woman sat near. Her name was Habetrot. She had a special mouth. Habetrot saw sad Lily. "I can help you," Habetrot said. "I will spin your wool." Lily was happy. Habetrot smiled a kind smile. Lily felt hope. Her tears stopped.
Lily heard a sound. It came from a stone. She looked into a hole. She saw Habetrot inside. Many women were there. They all spun wool. The sound was a soft hum. The women worked very fast. They spun all the time. They talked about working hard. They said spinning made them busy.
Habetrot came to Lily. She gave Lily the spun wool. The wool was soft and fine. Lily was very thankful. "Keep this a secret," Habetrot said.
The Mother was very happy. She told a rich man about Lily. "My Lily spins very well," she said. The rich man liked the wool. He saw the beautiful yarn. He thought Lily was clever. He liked Lily too. He asked Lily to marry him. Lily said yes.
One day, Habetrot came to Lily. "Bring your husband to the hill," she said. Lily was a little bit scared. But she did as Habetrot asked.
Lily brought the rich man to the hill. He looked through the special stone. He saw Habetrot and the women. They were all spinning. They worked very hard. The rich man saw their tired faces. He saw their busy hands. He knew spinning was hard work. Habetrot came out. "Spinning makes us very tired," she said. "It makes us very busy." He understood. "Lily will never spin," he said.
Lily was very happy. She played all day. Habetrot spun all their wool. Lily loved her new life. She was free to play. Habetrot was always her friend.
Original Story
Habetrot and Scantlie Mab
A woman had one fair daughter, who loved play better than work, wandering in the meadows and lanes better than the spinning-wheel and distaff. The mother was heartily vexed at this, for in those days no lassie had any chance of a good husband unless she was an industrious spinster. So she coaxed, threatened, even beat her daughter, but all to no purpose; the girl remained what her mother called her, "an idle cuttie."
At last, one spring morning, the gudewife gave her seven heads of lint, saying she would take no excuse; they must be returned in three days spun into yarn. The girl saw her mother was in earnest, so she plied her distaff as well as she could; but her hands were all untaught, and by the evening of the second day only a very small part of her task was done. She cried herself to sleep that night, and in the morning, throwing aside her work in despair, she strolled out into the fields, all sparkling with dew. At last she reached a knoll, at whose feet ran a little burn, shaded with woodbine and wild roses; and there she sat down, burying her face in her hands. When she looked up, she was surprised to see by the margin of the stream an old woman, quite unknown to her, drawing out the thread as she basked in the sun. There was nothing very remarkable in her appearance, except the length and thickness of her lips, only she was seated on a self-bored stone. The girl rose, went to the good dame, and gave her a friendly greeting, but could not help inquiring "What makes you so long lipped?"
"Spinning thread, my hinnie," said the old woman, pleased with her. "I wet my fingers with my lips, as I draw the thread from the distaff."
"Ah!" said the girl, "I should be spinning too, but it's all to no purpose. I shall ne'er do my task:" on which the old woman proposed to do it for her. Overjoyed, the maiden ran to fetch her lint, and placed it in her new friend's hand, asking where she should call for the yarn in the evening; but she received no reply; the old woman passed away from her among the trees and bushes. The girl, much bewildered, wandered about a little, sat down to rest, and finally fell asleep by the little knoll.
When she awoke she was surprised to find that it was evening. Causleen, the evening star, was beaming with silvery light, soon to be lost in the moon's splendour. While watching these changes, the maiden was startled by the sound of an uncouth voice, which seemed to issue from below the self-bored stone, close beside her. She laid her ear to the stone and heard the words: "Hurry up, Scantlie Mab, for I've promised the yarn and Habetrot always keeps her promise." Then looking down the hole saw her friend, the old dame, walking backwards and forwards in a deep cavern among a group of spinsters all seated on colludie stones, and busy with distaff and spindle. An ugly company they were, with lips more or less disfigured, like old Habetrot's. Another of the sisterhood, who sat in a distant corner reeling the yarn, was marked, in addition, by grey eyes, which seemed starting from her head, and a long hooked nose.
While the girl was still watching, she heard Habetrot address this dame by the name of Scantlie Mab, and say, "Bundle up the yarn, it is time the young lassie should give it to her mother." Delighted to hear this, the girl got up and returned homewards. Habetrot soon overtook her, and placed the yarn in her hands. "Oh, what can I do for ye in return?" exclaimed she, in delight. "Nothing—nothing," replied the dame; "but dinna tell your mother who spun the yarn."
Scarcely believing her eyes, the girl went home, where she found her mother had been busy making sausters, and hanging them up in the chimney to dry, and then, tired out, had retired to rest. Finding herself very hungry after her long day on the knoll, the girl took down pudding after pudding, fried and ate them, and at last went to bed too. The mother was up first the next morning, and when she came into the kitchen and found her sausters all gone, and the seven hanks of yarn lying beautifully smooth and bright upon the table, she ran out of the house wildly, crying out—
"My daughter's spun seven, seven, seven,
My daughter's eaten seven, seven, seven,
And all before daylight."
A laird who chanced to be riding by, heard the exclamation, but could not understand it; so he rode up and asked the gudewife what was the matter, on which she broke out again—
"My daughter's spun seven, seven, seven,
My daughter's eaten seven, seven, seven
before daylight; and if ye dinna believe me, why come in and see it." The laird, he alighted and went into the cottage, where he saw the yarn, and admired it so much he begged to see the spinner.
The mother dragged in her girl. He vowed he was lonely without a wife, and had long been in search of one who was a good spinner. So their troth was plighted, and the wedding took place soon afterwards, though the bride was in great fear that she should not prove so clever at her spinning-wheel as he expected. But old Dame Habetrot came to her aid. "Bring your bonny bridegroom to my cell," said she to the young bride soon after her marriage; "he shall see what comes o' spinning, and never will he tie you to the spinning-wheel."
Accordingly the bride led her husband the next day to the flowery knoll, and bade him look through the self-bored stone. Great was his surprise to behold Habetrot dancing and jumping over her rock, singing all the time this ditty to her sisterhood, while they kept time with their spindles:—
"We who live in dreary den,
Are both rank and foul to see?
Hidden from the glorious sun,
That teems the fair earth's canopie:
Ever must our evenings lone
Be spent on the colludie stone.
"Cheerless is the evening grey
When Causleen hath died away,
But ever bright and ever fair
Are they who breathe this evening air,
And lean upon the self-bored stone
Unseen by all but me alone."
The song ended, Scantlie Mab asked Habetrot what she meant by the last line, "Unseen by all but we alone."
"There is one," replied Habetrot, "whom I bid to come here at this hour, and he has heard my song through the self-bored stone." So saying she rose, opened another door, which was concealed by the roots of an old tree, and invited the pair to come in and see her family.
The laird was astonished at the weird-looking company, as he well might be, and inquired of one after another the cause of their strange lips. In a different tone of voice, and with a different twist of the mouth, each answered that it was occasioned by spinning. At least they tried to say so, but one grunted out "Nakasind," and another "Owkasaänd," while a third murmured "O-a-a-send." All, however, made the bridegroom understand what was the cause of their ugliness; while Habetrot slily hinted that if his wife were allowed to spin, her pretty lips would grow out of shape too, and her pretty face get an ugsome look. So before he left the cave he vowed that his little wife should never touch a spinning-wheel, and he kept his word. She used to wander in the meadows by his side, or ride behind him over the hills, but all the flax grown on his land was sent to old Habetrot to be converted into yarn.
Story DNA
Moral
Sometimes, a clever solution can save you from an undesirable fate, and appearances can be deceiving.
Plot Summary
An idle daughter, unable to spin, faces her mother's wrath and an impossible task. She encounters the magical Habetrot, who, along with other disfigured spinsters, secretly spins the flax for her. The mother's boast about her daughter's supposed skill leads to a marriage with a laird. To ensure his wife's continued beauty and idleness, Habetrot reveals to the laird the true cause of the spinsters' ugliness, leading him to forbid his wife from ever spinning, thus securing her happy, work-free life.
Themes
Emotional Arc
despair to relief to lasting happiness
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects a time when a woman's domestic skills, particularly spinning, were crucial for her social standing and marriageability, and idleness was a significant social stigma.
Plot Beats (13)
- A mother is frustrated by her daughter's idleness and inability to spin.
- The mother gives her daughter a strict deadline to spin seven heads of lint.
- The daughter fails to make progress and, in despair, wanders to a knoll.
- She meets Habetrot, an old woman with long lips, who offers to spin the lint for her.
- The daughter overhears Habetrot and other spinsters in a hidden cavern, revealing their disfigurements are due to constant spinning.
- Habetrot delivers the spun yarn, asking the girl not to reveal her help.
- The mother finds the yarn and, misinterpreting her own exclamation, boasts to a passing laird that her daughter is an excellent spinner.
- The laird, seeking an industrious wife, is impressed by the yarn and marries the daughter.
- After marriage, Habetrot instructs the bride to bring her husband to the knoll.
- The laird looks through the self-bored stone and witnesses Habetrot and her sisterhood, singing about their dreary lives of spinning.
- Habetrot reveals the cause of the spinsters' disfigured lips to the laird.
- The laird, horrified, vows his wife will never touch a spinning-wheel.
- The wife lives a life of leisure, and all their flax is sent to Habetrot to be spun.
Characters
The Daughter
A fair young woman of average height and build, with a generally pleasant and attractive appearance that her mother fears will be marred by her idleness. Her lips are described as 'pretty' by Habetrot, implying a delicate and well-formed mouth.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a peasant girl in Scotland, likely made of homespun linen or wool in muted, natural colors. Perhaps a long dress or skirt with a bodice and a simple apron, worn-out but clean.
Wants: Initially, to avoid work and enjoy herself. Later, to escape her mother's wrath and avoid the shame of not completing her task. Ultimately, to maintain her pleasant life and avoid the disfigurement of spinning.
Flaw: Laziness and a lack of skill in domestic arts, particularly spinning. She is easily overwhelmed by difficult tasks and prone to despair.
Transforms from an 'idle cuttie' burdened by an impossible task into a happily married woman who is freed from the expectation of spinning, thanks to Habetrot's intervention. She learns to appreciate the value of cleverness and alliances.
Lazy, playful, despairing (initially), grateful, obedient, somewhat naive, and easily influenced. She prefers leisure and nature to domestic chores.
The Mother
A woman of mature age, likely with the weathered hands and sturdy build of a hardworking peasant woman. Her appearance is not described in detail, but her actions suggest a practical and no-nonsense demeanor.
Attire: Typical Scottish peasant attire: a sturdy wool or linen dress, a practical apron, and possibly a head covering. Colors would be muted and practical for farm work.
Wants: To ensure her daughter becomes an industrious spinner so she can secure a good husband and a respectable future. To maintain the family's reputation for hard work.
Flaw: Her inability to understand or accept her daughter's different nature. She is also easily swayed by appearances (the perfectly spun yarn).
Remains largely unchanged in her core beliefs, but her initial despair over her daughter's idleness is replaced by pride and relief when the yarn appears, leading to her daughter's marriage. She ultimately benefits from Habetrot's intervention without understanding its true nature.
Industrious, vexed, demanding, traditional, easily impressed (by the yarn), and somewhat dramatic (when crying out about the yarn and sausters). She is deeply concerned with her daughter's future and reputation.
Habetrot
An old woman with a very distinctive and disfigured appearance. Her most prominent feature is her 'length and thickness of her lips,' which are described as 'more or less disfigured' like the other spinsters. She is seated on a 'self-bored stone.'
Attire: Simple, rustic clothing, perhaps a dark, homespun dress or smock, suitable for living in a cavern. It would be practical and unadorned, reflecting her hidden, laborious existence.
Wants: To help the young maiden, perhaps out of sympathy or a desire to ensure the continuation of spinning work for her community. She also seems to enjoy outwitting humans and securing a steady supply of flax.
Flaw: Her physical disfigurement, which she attributes to her constant spinning.
Remains consistent in her character, acting as a magical helper. Her actions solidify her role as the protector of her community and the enabler of the young bride's happiness.
Kind, helpful, secretive, clever, and protective of her sisterhood. She is a master spinner and keeps her promises.
Scantlie Mab
One of Habetrot's sisterhood, she shares the general disfigurement of lips from spinning. In addition, she is specifically marked by 'grey eyes, which seemed starting from her head, and a long hooked nose.'
Attire: Similar to Habetrot, simple, dark, homespun garments suitable for her subterranean existence and constant spinning.
Wants: To contribute to the community's spinning tasks and follow Habetrot's lead.
Flaw: Her physical disfigurement, a consequence of her work.
Remains a static character, serving to illustrate the consequences of constant spinning.
Industrious, obedient to Habetrot, and curious (asking about the last line of Habetrot's song).
The Laird
A man of wealth and status, likely well-groomed and dressed in fine clothes appropriate for a Scottish laird. His build would be that of a man accustomed to riding and managing an estate, but not necessarily manual labor. He is described as 'lonely without a wife.'
Attire: Rich, era-appropriate Scottish attire for a laird: a fine wool or tartan jacket, breeches, a linen shirt, and sturdy leather boots. He would likely wear a cloak for riding. Colors would be deeper and more refined than peasant clothing.
Wants: To find a wife, specifically one who is an industrious spinner, as this was a highly valued trait. Later, to protect his wife's beauty.
Flaw: His susceptibility to Habetrot's manipulation and his initial superficial judgment based on spinning ability.
Begins by seeking an industrious spinner but ends up marrying a woman who never spins, convinced by Habetrot that it would preserve her beauty. He learns to value his wife's companionship over her domestic skills.
Curious, discerning (about the yarn), lonely, romantic (in his desire for a wife), and easily convinced by Habetrot's trickery. He is ultimately kind and keeps his word.
Locations
The Meadow Knoll
A knoll in the fields, sparkling with dew in the morning, with a small burn (stream) running at its feet. The burn is shaded with woodbine and wild roses. A 'self-bored stone' is situated by the margin of the stream.
Mood: Initially despairing, then mysterious and magical, later romantic and secretive.
The girl first encounters Habetrot here, receives help with her spinning, and later brings her husband to witness the spinsters.
Habetrot's Cavern
A deep, subterranean cavern located beneath the self-bored stone, accessible through a hidden door concealed by the roots of an old tree. It is inhabited by Habetrot and a group of spinsters, all seated on 'colludie stones' and busy with distaff and spindle. The cavern is described as a 'dreary den' and is hidden from the sun.
Mood: Eerie, industrious, mysterious, slightly grotesque due to the spinsters' disfigurements.
The girl discovers the secret of the spinsters, and later the laird witnesses their disfigurements, leading him to vow his wife will never spin.
The Gudewife's Cottage Kitchen
A simple, rustic kitchen within a Scottish cottage. It features a chimney where 'sausters' (puddings) are hung to dry. A table is present where the spun yarn is later found.
Mood: Initially tense and demanding, then relieved and surprising, later bustling with the mother's excitement.
The mother gives the girl the flax, and later discovers the yarn and the eaten sausters, leading to her excited proclamation that attracts the laird.