When the maiden showed the Queen the empty rooms, and the great heap of yarn, she gave orders for the wedding, and the bridegroom rejoiced that he was to have such a clever and industrious wife, and praised her mightily. “I have three aunts,” said the girl, “and as they have been very kind to me, I should not like to forget them in my good fortune; allow me to invite them to the wedding, and let them sit with us at table.”

The Queen and the bridegroom said, “Why should we not allow that?”

Therefore when the feast began, the three women entered in strange apparel, and the bride said, “Welcome, dear aunts.”

“Ah,” said the bridegroom, “how comest thou by these odious friends?” Thereupon he went to the one with the broad flat foot, and said, “How do you come by such a broad foot?”

“By treading,” she answered, “by treading.”