Andrew Fusek Peters - Ever Clever Eva

Text copyright 2009 Andrew Fusek Peters
Illustrations copyright 2009 Teresa Murfin

First published 2009 by A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square,
London, WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com

This electronic edition published in September 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing

White Wolves Series Consultant: Sue Ellis, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education

This book can be used in the White Wolves Guided Reading programme for independet readers in Year 5

The rights of Andrew Fusek Peters and Teresa Murfin to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work respectively have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved
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A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

eISBN: 978-1-4081-6350-4

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In my days as a storyteller, I asked my mother if she knew any folk tales. She grew up in Prague in the 1930s and this story was told to her by her nursemaid and is well known among the Czechs. The heroine was called Manka, but I wanted to use my aunts name to give the book its title, Ever Clever Eva.

For my mother, who first told me the tale of Ever Clever Eva

Long, long ago in a little village just outside Prague, there lived two brothers.

Master Jan was as rich as a treasure box, but his younger brother Eduard was as poor as a pebble. The poor brother had a young daughter called Eva.

When Eva was 14 years old, her father reluctantly sent her out to work. There was only one job going in town and that was as a goose girl.

This was no easy task, as geese are quite happy to bite the fingers that feed them. Even worse, it meant that Eva had to work for her rich uncle, who was well known for his meanness.

Eva moved into her uncles farm.

Every day, she rose at dawn to feed and water the cackling geese. After that, her chores were endless washing dirty clothes, scrubbing floors, dusting surfaces, polishing old bits of brass and cooking the food.

Each night, after eating the leftovers tossed away by her uncle, she fell asleep exhausted, but at least she knew the money would help her family.

As was the custom, at the end of the year, Eva went before Master Jan and put out her hand.

I hope youve found my work satisfactory?

Master Jan rubbed his moustache. Itll do, I suppose, he grumbled. The geese havent died, and you havent managed to poison my food.

He turned back to his papers and ignored Evas outstretched hand.

I would like to be paid my wages for the last year, said Eva.

Master Jan looked up, surprised. You would, would you? Hmmm He stuck his finger in his ear and dug around as if he might find the money in there. Tell you what. Ive got a lovely calf in the barn. When shes fully grown, she will be yours to sell at the market. How does that sound?

Eva smiled. It was a good deal. Now she woke up every morning with a spring in her step and a smile that sat like the sun on her face. The geese were spoiled and the floors scrubbed until they shone.

The time rushed by. All the while, Eva watched the calf grow fatter.

After nearly two years, she stood before Master Jan once again.

Dear uncle, I hope youve found my work satisfactory?

Master Jan rubbed his moustache. Itll do, I suppose, he grumbled. The geese havent keeled over, and you havent managed to infect my food with some rare disease.

Good! said Eva. I would now like the cow you promised, as I intend to take it to market this afternoon.

As she spoke, Eva looked forward to seeing the look on her fathers face when she brought home the money. There might even be some left over, once the rent was paid, to treat them all to a feast and some new clothes.

Evas daydreams were interrupted.

Cow? What cow would that be? The look of surprise on her uncles lying face was cunningly innocent. Why would I give you a cow? You should be grateful that I feed you and give you a warm bed to sleep in!

The drafty hay barn was hardly the warmest bedroom in the world and the leftovers that Eva was lucky to scavenge did not make her grateful. In fact, she was fuming. Her uncle had gone back on his word! What should she do? There was no point staying at the farm and working for nothing.

In a moment, Eva made up her mind. She ran from the room, down the stairs, out of the yard and away from the farm until at last she reached her familys tiny cottage. There, she threw her arms round her father and sobbed out the whole sorry story.

Evas father was furious. He stomped up the hill to his brothers farm and ran up the stairs of the house two at a time. Before Master Jan could utter a word, his brother grabbed him by the ear and pulled hard.

Youre coming with me, you dishonest excuse for a scoundrel!

And with that, Eduard dragged him out of the farm and into the centre of Prague, right to the courthouse. The judge was sitting there in his purple robes on a big chair.

Both brothers told their story.

Master Jan made it sound like Eva was a lazy good-for-nothing with an eye on his hard-won fortune.

Eduard made his daughter sound like a saint who had suffered severe hardship.

The judge was an honest-minded man, but he didnt know who to believe. He sat back on his chair and considered the situation and finally he came up with a solution that he thought rather clever. He decided the only way to solve the problem was to set a riddle and see who could give the right answer.

I want you both to go home tonight, he told them, then come back to my courtroom tomorrow morning with the answers to these three questions: What is sharpest? What is sweetest? What is richest? He pointed to Master Jan. And dont forget to bring the cow!

Both men walked home feeling very gloomy. Master Jan had no idea of the answers. He might be rich, but he was also as thick as a dumpling. He begged his wife to help him.

His wife, who had put up with him for too many years, took out a turnip and slapped him hard. You potato head! she said. How did I ever manage to fall in love with you? The answer is easy as peas! What is sharpest is the tooth of our black dog! What is sweetest is our store of honey up in the loft! And what is richest is, of course, the box of gold hidden in the cellar! Now go away and make sure you remember to get the answer right in the morning.

Master Jan felt so relieved, he could almost have kissed his clever wife. He smiled a silly smile and slept well that night.