Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

The Brown Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
page 60 of 360 (16%)
replied his wife, 'and now that she knows you are my husband she
wants to kill you.'

'Oh, well, let her try,' replied Ball-Carrier. 'It is not the
first time people have wished to do that. And here I am still,
you see!'

'Be careful,' said the wife, ' she is very cunning.' But at this
moment the sister-in-law came up.

'How do you do, brother-in-law? I have heard of you so often
that I am very glad to meet you. I am told that you are more
powerful than any man on earth, and as I am powerful too, let us
try which is the strongest.'

'That will be delightful,' answered he. 'Suppose we begin with a
short race, and then we will go on to other things.'

' That will suit me very well,' replied the woman, who was a
witch. 'And let us agree that the one who wins shall have the
right to kill the other.'

'Oh, certainly,' said Ball-Carrier;' and I don't think we shall
find a flatter course than the prairie itself--no one knows how
many miles it stretches. We will run to the end and back again.'

This being settled they both made ready for the race, and
Ball-Carrier silently begged the good spirits to help him, and
not to let him fall into the hands of this wicked witch.

DigitalOcean Referral Badge