When a young king holds a feast for the country's men to speak of their daughters so he can pick a bride, they embellish their qualities until a lowly miller claims his, Gretchen, can spin gold from straw, though she cannot spin at all. With both threatened if he's found to have lied, she is forced to do so. Her hope for help under a full moon comes true when a wood nymph appears to do it for her at the cost of her necklace. The following night she must do more and the nymph returns, working for her ring. The king agrees to marry her after a third night, but with nothing else to be offered the nymph demands her firstborn and helps giving her no chance to refuse. Gretchen and the king marry, and the nymph comes for the son they eventually have. He offers to leave the baby if Gretchen can guess his name in three days' time.
When a young king holds a feast for the country's men to speak of their daughters so he can pick a bride, they embellish their qualities until a lowly miller claims his, Gretchen, can spin gold from straw, though she cannot spin at all. With both threatened if he's found to have lied, she is forced to do so. Her hope for help under a full moon comes true when a wood nymph appears to do it for her at the cost of her necklace. The following night she must do more and the nymph returns, working for her ring. The king agrees to marry her after a third night, but with nothing else to be offered the nymph demands her firstborn and helps giving her no chance to refuse. Gretchen and the king marry, and the nymph comes for the son they eventually have. He offers to leave the baby if Gretchen can guess his name in three days' time.
