Once upon a time there was a poor widow with five children. The only job she could find was kneading the dough for the rich neighbour's weekly bread. This grand neighbour lady gave her nothing for her pains, but she allowed the widow to keep the dough sticking onto her hands. She would then  bring the bits home, boil some water and make some gruel to feed her children.  

But the grand lady's children despite the fine dishes they were served every day, they were as thin as sprats!

On the other hand, the children of the poor widow grew sturdy like little mullets!

"The widow carries away the good fortune of your children on her hands and takes it to her own children", the grand lady's friends say. After that,, the grand lady never let the widow into her mansion again.

The next day, the widow promised her wailing, hungry children she would find something for them to eat.  When they fell asleep, she left her house to look for food.

In the middle of the night, while she was walking through the wilderness, she saw a light far, far away...

There was a tent and in it she saw twelve lads sitting in a circle and talking.

On her right, the three of them were holding tender grass shoots and brances in bloom.

Next to them, another three with no jackets on, had their arms filled with ripe wheat.

Further down, another three lads were holding a bunch of grapes.

And beyond them, there were another three wearing fur coats right up their necks.

When they saw the woman they said: 

"Welcome Auntie, come and join us and sit you down."

They started asking her how she found herself in those parts and  she told them about her suffering. One of the men in furs, offered her something to eat and she noticed that he had a limp.  

After she had eaten, the first three lads asked:

"Hey  Auntie, what about the months of the year? 

What do you think of March, April and May?"

"We have a good time, my children, because the hills and the meadows go green, the earth is full of flowers and fragrances. So, there's nothing to complain about these months!"

The next three asked her: "Well, and what about Reaper and Thresher and August? What about them?"

"There is nothing to complain about because with the hot weather fruit and flowers ripen, farmers reap their crops and they are pleased because there is no need for costly clothes to wear".  

And then the three lads with the grapes asked: "And what have you to say of September, October and November?"

"Those are the months", she said, "when people gather grapes and make wine. They signal the coming of winter and people gather wood, charcoal and heavy clothing to keep warm".

Finally, the lads in furs ask her: "So, what about December, January and February?

How are things then?"

"Ah, these months love us well", she said. "Those winter months come and people gather around the hearth and that's when they rest from summer's toil. With the rain and snowfalls, crops grow all over the fields".

"So, my children, all the months are good and worthy. It's humans that aren't sufficiently good". 

Then, eleven of the lads made a sign to the one near the entrance, who went out and came back with a jar and gave it to the woman. 

They say to her: "Auntie, go on your way home to care for your children and take the jar along with you".

The woman took the jar gladly and said: 

"May your years be full and right long, my children".

When she arrived home, her children were still asleep.She emptied the jar on a bedsheet to find it filled with florins! She almost lost her wits with joy!

In the morning, the widow went to the market to buy food for her children. There, she met the grand lady and told her everything she wanted to know!

The grand lady, envious of the woman's good fortune, stepped out of her mansion, when everyone was aleep and started walking until she found the tent with the Twelve Months.

"Welcome your ladyship, why are you here to visit us?" they asked. 

"Oh, sirs, I'm deprived", she replied, "and I have come to seek for help!"

"Very well", they said, "are you hungry?"

"No, no", she said, "I'm quite full".

"Very well", they said, "and how do you manage things in town?"

"Couldn't be worse", she replied. 

"And how are you coping with the months?", they asked.

"Everyone has its own kind of ire. Once we get used to the heat of August, here comes September, trailing October and November chill us to the bone. Then, before you know it, it's winter, December and January freeze us and we can't go out, especially in February! And what of those, March, April and May! They don't realise they are summer months, they pretend to be winter and so winter ends up being nine months long!"

"Then, there' s the Reaper and Thresher and August, with all the heat they bring, they make drip with sweat!

What can I tell you lads?

Under the months we lead a blighted life!"

The months said nothing, one of them got up, fetched her a jar and said: 

"Take this jar and when you are alone at home, empty it. Don't open it when you are still on the road".

"Oh, no, I wouldn't do that", she said and left in a hurry.

When she got home, she locked herself in a room amd emptied the jar on a bedsheet.

 And what came out of it? 

Masses of seething serpents!... 

It's not good for anyone to speak ill of another. But the poor woman with her kind heart and honeyed tongue, became really well-to-do, a true gentle woman and did well for her children!

There! This is what people call a good ending!

                               Glossary:

- florin (n.): old coin

- ire (n.): anger

- lad (n.): boy, young man

- limp (n.): walking with a hobble

- reaper (n.): person harvesting the crops, in                            our story it's the month June

- thresher (n.): machine that processes grain,                               here it's July

- toil (n.): work, labour