Misfortune (folk tale) facts for kids

Misfortune (Italian: Sfortuna) is an Italian fairy tale. It comes from Palermo, a city in Italy. The famous writer Italo Calvino collected this story. You can find it in his book Italian Folktales. Another version of the tale is called Unfortunate. This version appears in A Book of Enchantments and Curses by Ruth Manning-Sanders.

The Story of Misfortune

A Royal Family's Trouble

Once, a king lost his kingdom. He was captured, and his queen had to care for their seven daughters. They were now very poor. A beggar woman told the queen something strange. She said all their bad luck came from one daughter. This daughter was very unlucky. If the queen sent her away, their lives would get better. The beggar woman also said how to find this daughter. She would be the one who slept with her hands crossed.

The queen checked her daughters. She found it was her youngest daughter. When the daughter learned why her mother was crying, she left home right away.

Misfortune's Journey

The young girl went to find work. She called herself Misfortune. First, she found a job at a weaver's shop. But her bad luck, like a spirit, followed her. It went around the shop and cut all the threads. The weavers blamed Misfortune for the damage. They quickly threw her out.

Next, she found work at a shopkeeper's. Again, her bad luck caused trouble. It spilled all the wine in the shop. The shopkeeper blamed Misfortune and sent her away.

A New Hope

Finally, she started working for a laundress. The laundress washed clothes for the prince. The prince was very impressed by Misfortune's skill. He gave the laundress ten gold pieces for her good work. The laundress used some money to buy Misfortune new clothes. She also made two loaves of bread.

The laundress asked Misfortune to take one loaf. She told her to give it to the laundress's own good luck, her "Fortune." Misfortune was also told to ask how she could find her own good luck. The laundress's Fortune told Misfortune to go to a very old, dirty witch. The witch refused the bread. But Misfortune still left it for her.

They did this again on the next wash day. The third time, the prince gave twenty gold pieces. So, the laundress sent Misfortune with two loaves and nice clothes. These clothes were for Misfortune's own Fortune. When Misfortune's Fortune took the bread, Misfortune quickly grabbed her. She washed her and dressed her in the new clothes. In return, the Fortune gave Misfortune a tiny box. Inside, Misfortune found a small piece of braid. She also put some small sticks, called batons, into the box.

The Prince's Bride

Soon after, the laundress found the prince very upset. His future bride's wedding dress was missing a tiny piece of braid. No one could find a match for it anywhere. The laundress remembered Misfortune's braid. She brought it to the prince. The prince decided to pay Misfortune its weight in gold. But no scale could weigh the tiny braid.

The prince demanded to know where the braid came from. The laundress told him all about Misfortune. The prince then called for Misfortune. He asked her who she really was. He also paid her old masters for the damage she had caused. He warned them about how they had treated her. Instead of marrying his first bride, the prince married Misfortune.

A Happy Ending

Meanwhile, Misfortune's parents had gotten their kingdom back. But they were still worried about their missing daughter. The prince sent a message to them. This way, they learned their daughter was safe and happy.