The Girl With the Golden Hands

A miller had gradually fallen into poverty.

He had nothing left but his mill

and a large apple tree behind it.

Then the devil approached him and said, "I'll make you rich

if you promise me what is behind your mill."

What could it be but my apple tree?,

thought the miller and said, Yes."

Thank you so much.

-All the very best wishes. -Thanks.

-Congrats. -Thanks for everything, Ronnie.

Ronnie wanted to change the fuses,

so the stereo and lights work tonight,

-so I gave him a lift. -Yeah.

I'll be inside.

It's amazing, the things you achieve.

I don't achieve it alone.

Your son did all the electrical work.

It was so good for him to have a real job again, Gudrun.

For it to be a real job, he needs to be paid properly.

I know today is your birthday, but I turn 60 in March.

Grüne Jäger is closing. Where will we have our parties?

Here, of course!

On New Year's Eve,

we'll write "Millennium" in golden foil letters.

Look at this.

The city names: Darmswalde,

Dabergotz, Dreetz, Breddin...

Murfzig!

For the Smurfs, the green ones.

No, Smurfzig.

Stop it or we'll end up in Dickhard.

Where do we get off?

Wherever you want.

-The next stop is... -Next stop is:

Storbeck-Frankendorf!

Sounds good.

These towns are so close to Berlin

and I've never heard of them.

You don't need to. Just look at them.

Do people really live here? In Nennhausen?

Does someone live on that pile of dirt?

- Lara. - Hello.

-Have a nice trip? -Yeah.

That's your dress?

- How are you? - Fine.

-You want me to drive? -No, no.

-The driver's door is stuck. -Still?

At least it runs.

We'll stop at the supermarket.

Werner?

I have a question regarding the nightingale:

I don't mean to compare our nightingale population

with Berlin's...

...but I was bicycling through the former East

for two hours yesterday and I saw so many hedges...

But I had to stop counting the nightingales I heard

because there were so many.

That's delightful, of course,

but maybe you know a trick how I could also see them?

That's not so easy, right?

Mrs. Tucholke, can you help Mr. Hannes

not only hear but also see the nightingales?

Rinse aid.

Now dishwasher salt.

Ah, thanks.

Now tabs.

God, dishwashers are as complicated as cars.

What's all this for?

I got your mother a fully automatic dishwasher

-for her birthday, -What?

But Werner, that's an unnecessary luxury.

I have two healthy hands ideally suited for dishes.

I'm sick of drying them.

The tabs. Here.

I wanted to read my speech to you, Werner.

-To you alone. -Alright, I'm listening.

Here?

She'll be home when we get there.

Okay.

"My mother has a beautiful voice."

"It can sound warm and dark,

rough or shrill, young or old,

or tired.

Bleating like a goat or neighing like a horse

isn't a problem for this voice."

"When I was young, we brought empty egg shells

back to the henhouse every week

so the hens would have enough lime for new eggs.

My mother cackled like a real hen every time.

And each time, the rooster crowed.

He was confused because he didn't recognize

that chicken's voice."

10.99 DM, are they crazy?

-Hey, are you listening? -Sorry.

"With that wonderful voice, she read me fairy tales

from a thick book with old-fashioned letters.

Even after I learned to read and write,

she alone could read those letters,

and thus maintained access to this world

of queens, dragons, apples and poisoned spindles."

Very beautiful.

Look: 5.99 DM. Let's do that.

Half the price.

She won't like it, but I don't care.

We can pay now.

Is that all you have to say?

-I want gummy bears. -Got 'em!

Should I keep the chicken part or cut it out?

Keep it.

The chicken is good.

Look who I brought.

- Hello. - So you're here.

Happy birthday.

But no singing.

I've got something for you. Thanks, put it down.

Here!

Thanks, but it's your birthday.

Please, do it for me.

They're making them again in Delitzsch,

and they're just as stale as in the old days.

Hmm.

Mm-hmm. You need an ironing board.

No, I already ironed it this morning.

-I hate marzipan. -I know.

I'll eat them for you.

Everywhere I went this morning, they sang. It was awful.

Excuse me.

There you go.

My dress isn't wrinkly.

Lara, I want you to look neat. The whole town is coming.

Unbelievable.

Oh, and how long is your speech, roughly?

Open my present.

Don't distract. It's important.

So is my gift.

I'll do the presents later in peace, Lara.

And your gift was to be your speech.

I wrote one, but you won't like it.

What? Let me see it.

I didn't limit myself to the facts.

And instead? Werner?

I talk about how much I loved you reading me fairy tales.

Lara, nobody cares.

- Do you want to hear it? - Yes, later, but...

first let's write a speech you can deliver.

"Dear attendees..." Blah, blah, blah and so on.

"Congratulations on your birthday, dear Mama,

to your 60th."

Then you say, and this is important,

"As everyone knows...

you grew up in the orphanage here."

-Are you serious? -Wait.

"We're celebrating your 60th birthday.

But nobody knows your real age because back then,

this day was arbitrarily set as your birth date.

I think you're much younger.

Because you look much younger."

Then everyone laughs and... I look flattered.

You're sitting on my dress.

Sorry. And then...

"You became a math and gym teacher.

Two talents you didn't pass on to me."

Write down my father's name while you're at it.

Oh, Lara.

Don't annoy me. You had two parents.

I had no one and don't moan all the time.

- I'm not moaning. - Fine then.

You and I met in '71.

Lara was already in school. It was '72.

No, we met in '71.

You only noticed me in '72, that's true.

Fine. I'll change that.

In '71, please.

Then you continue, Lara: I'm fit and sharp.

You always had enough to eat when you were hungry,

and a warm room when it was cold outside.

I took you to the doctor when you were sick and...

"Thanks for that." "No problem." Hugs and kisses, then dessert.

- I'm not doing that. - Why not?

Lara, those speeches are always dreadful.

Simply too long. The shorter the better.

Now please close the door, it's cold.

Are you alright?

-I'm a bit dizzy. -Sit down.

Have you eaten today?

Here. Have some of these.

They're for you. Keep them sealed.

No, I'd love to share. I can open them.

-There. -Thanks.

There are more than enough.

God, they taste good.

Huh? Just as stale as old times.

-Superbly stale. -You're stale.

-Please bring me your dress. -Eat them all. No, Mama.

Yes. I know it's your profession.

No, it's... how I earn money.

- Werner! - Yeah!

Don't you touch my cake.

Thank you, thank you...

Gudrun, here's to you.