Once upon a time, there was a girl who was exceptionally beautiful. Everyone in the village said she looked like she had stepped out of a painting. But she had a major flaw—she hated working and was terribly careless in everything she did.
Whenever asked to spin flax thread, she couldn’t sit still. After just a few moments, she’d complain of fatigue, fling her hands away, and stop working. If a small knot formed in the thread, she wouldn’t bother untangling it patiently. Instead, she’d yank it out with a loud “snap,” tearing off a large clump and tossing it carelessly onto the floor.
She threw things away like this every day, never feeling the slightest regret. After all, her family had some money, so they could get by without her contributing.
But you know what? There was a girl from a poor family next door who came to help clean their house every day. This girl was quiet, but incredibly hardworking. Every time she saw the discarded hemp on the floor, she would quietly pick it up and take it home.
First, she would wash the hemp clean. Then, bit by bit, she would untangle the knots and smooth out the tangled fibers.Then she sat by lamplight, night after night, spinning thread. The calluses on her hands grew thicker, yet the cloth she wove grew finer and shinier.
Finally, she used this unwanted hemp to make a new dress. Though the fabric wasn’t the most expensive, it was neat and clean, and looked especially smart when worn.
The Night Before the Wedding: A Dance Changed Everything
On this day, the beautiful girl was to be married. The entire village came to celebrate, with dancing planned for the evening.
The diligent girl also attended. She wore the dress she had made herself, standing among the crowd. Though silent, her entire being radiated a pure, luminous quality.
The bride spotted her immediately and felt uneasy. She exclaimed loudly, “Oh my! How dare she wear the things I discarded and strut around dancing?”
The groom overheard her words. Startled, he asked, “What did you say? That dress was made from hemp you didn’t want?”
The bride, feeling rather pleased with herself, recounted how the girl had carelessly discarded the hemp, thinking she was mocking someone’s poverty.
But as the groom listened, his face slowly darkened.
He looked at the girl in the old hemp dress, standing quietly in the corner, unassuming and unassuming, yet her eyes shone brightly. He then looked at his soon-to-be bride—beautiful, yes, but her tone was haughty, showing no respect for others.
Suddenly, he understood: someone willing to pick up discarded things and transform them into something new with care—that was the person truly worthy of building a life with.
He stepped before the bride and whispered softly, “I’m sorry, I cannot marry you.”
Then he turned to the diligent girl and asked, “Would you be willing to build a life with me?”
The girl said nothing, only blushed and nodded.
The Truth Behind the Story
This seemingly simple tale contrasts two approaches to life.
The beautiful girl valued only appearances, discarding things she deemed worthless.
The poor girl, though possessing little, understood the value of cherishing things and was willing to invest time in making the “useless” useful.
The groom’s final choice wasn’t about the clothes; it was about seeing a person’s heart.
What This Story Teaches Us
No matter how attractive someone is, if they shun hard work and lack respect for others, they won’t find true happiness.
But someone willing to roll up their sleeves, endure hardship, and cherish what they have—even if they start from humble beginnings—can earn respect and build a good life through their own efforts.
Sometimes, what determines a person’s future isn’t what they hold in their hands, but how they treat the things others discard.
