There was once a rich farmer's lad, and he was going out wooing. He had heard tell of a maiden who was comely and fair, excellent at keeping house and a great hand at cooking. So he made his way there, for such a wife he wanted to have. It was plain enough to the folk at the end on what errand he had come, so they invited him in to sit down on the bench, and chatted with him, as is the custom; and in addition they offered him a drink to stay his thirst while they got something ready to eat. They went in and out, so the suitor had time to have a look around in the parlor. Over in a corner he saw a spinning wheel, and the distaff was full of flax.
"Who is it who spins that wheel?" asked the lad. "Oh, that would be out daughter now, it would," said the old woman of the house. "That's a mighty large bundle of flax," said the lad. "She certainly must take more than a day to spin that off," he said. "Nothing of the kind!" said the old woman. "She does it easily in one, and maybe in less than that!" That was more than he had bargained for, that anyone could spin in so short a time, thought the lad.
But then they were to carry in the food, they all went out together, and he was left in the parlor alone. Then he caught sight of a big, old key lying on the windowsill. He took it and thrust it up inside the distaff, working it well into the flax. Then they ate and drank, and were on good terms; and when he felt he had been there long enough, he thanked them and went his way. They bade him come again soon, and that he promised, too. But he did not state his business, even though he thought pretty well of the girl. After a while he came to the farm again, this time they received him even better than the first time. But when they had started talking, the old woman said," Since the last time you were here something really strange happened! Our larder key has disappeared so completely that we haven't been able to find it again!"
The lad went over to the spinningwheel, which was standing there in the corner with the bundle of flax just as big as the last time, and reached up inside the distaff. "There's the key," he said. "There's little to win on what you spin, when the spinning-day lasts from Michaelmas to Easter!" Then he thanked them, and didn't state his business this time either.