corner. Then she stole back, and went down to the parlour fire,
and put the hide into the middle of it till it was all fine
ashes. She then lay down by her husband, gave him a kiss on the
cheek, and fell asleep.

If she was to live a hundred years she'd never forget how she
wakened next morning, and found her husband looking down on her
with misery and anger in his face. 'Unhappy woman,' said he, 'you
have separated us for ever! Why hadn't you patience for five
years? I am now obliged, whether I like or no, to go a three
days' journey to the witch's castle, and marry her daughter. The
skin that was my guard you have burned it, and the egg-wife that
gave you the counsel was the witch herself. I won't reproach you:
your punishment will be severe without it. Farewell for ever!'

He kissed her for the last time, and was off the next minute,
walking as fast as he could. She shouted after him, and then
seeing there was no use, she dressed herself and pursued him. He
never stopped, nor stayed, nor looked back, and still she kept
him in sight; and when he was on the hill she was in the hollow,
and when he was in the hollow she was on the hill. Her life was
almost leaving her, when, just as the sun was setting, he turned
up a lane, and went into a little house. She crawled up after
him, and when she got inside there was a beautiful little boy on
his knees, and he kissing and hugging him. 'Here, my poor
darling,' says he, 'is your eldest child, and there,' says he,
pointing to a woman that was looking on with a smile on her face,
'is the eagle that carried him away.' She forgot all her sorrows
in a moment, hugging her child, and laughing and crying over him.
The woman washed their feet, and rubbed them with an ointment