Now all this while the ball had been rolling, rolling, rolling to
the old grandmother's hut on the other side of the world, and
directly it rolled into her hut she knew that her grandson must
be dead. Without wasting any time she took a fox skin and tied
it round her forehead, and fastened another round her waist, as
witches always do when they leave their own homes. When she was
ready she said to the ball: ' Go back the way you came, and lead
me to my grandson.' And the ball started with the old woman
following.

It was a long journey, even for a witch, but, like other things,
it ended at last; and the old woman stood before the platform of
stakes, where the body of Ball-Carrier lay.

'Wake up, my grandson, it is time to go home,' the witch said.
And Ball-Carrier stepped down oft the platform, and brought his
club and bow and arrows out of the hut, and set out, for the
other side of the world, behind the old woman.

When they reached the hut where Ball-Carrier had fasted so many
years ago, the old woman spoke for the first time since they had
started on their way.

'My grandson, did you ever manage to get that gold from the Bad
One?'

'Yes, grandmother, I got it.'

'Where is it?' she asked.