Then That twirled its tail so fast you couldn't see it, and stuck out
its beautiful toes, and smirked and looked out of the corners of its
eyes. "I will give you three guesses every night to guess my name, and
if you haven't guessed it before the month is up, why"--and That twirled
its tail faster and stuck out its toes further, and smirked and
sniggered more than ever--"you shall be mine, my beauty."

Three guesses every night for a whole month! She felt sure she would be
able for so much; and there was no other way out of the business, so she
just said, "Yes! I agree!"

And lor! how That twirled its tail, and bowed, and smirked, and stuck
out its beautiful toes.

Well, the very next day her husband led her to the strange room again,
and there was the day's food, and a spinning-wheel and a great bundle of
flax.

"There you are, my dear," says he as polite as polite. "And remember! if
there are not five whole skeins to-night, I fear your head will come
off!"

At that she began to tremble, and after he had gone away and locked the
door, she was just thinking of a good cry, when she heard a queer
knocking at the window. She upped at once and opened it, and sure enough
there was the small, little, black Thing sitting on the window-ledge,
dangling its beautiful toes and twirling its tail so that you could
scarcely see it.