"A-well, is that Methusalem?" says she.

"Noo, t'ain't that neither," that says.

Then that looks at her with that's eyes like a coal o' fire, and that
says: "Woman, there's only to-morrow night, and then you'll be mine!"
And away it flew.

Well, she felt that horrid. However, she heard the king coming along
the passage. In he came, and when he sees the five skeins, he says,
says he,

"Well, my dear," says he, "I don't see but what you'll have your
skeins ready to-morrow night as well, and as I reckon I shan't have to
kill you, I'll have supper in here to-night." So they brought supper,
and another stool for him, and down the two sat.

Well, he hadn't eaten but a mouthful or so, when he stops and begins
to laugh.

"What is it?" says she.

"A-why," says he, "I was out a-hunting to-day, and I got away to a
place in the wood I'd never seen before And there was an old chalk-
pit. And I heard a kind of a sort of a humming. So I got off my hobby,
and I went right quiet to the pit, and I looked down. Well, what
should there be but the funniest little black thing you ever set eyes
on. And what was that doing, but that had a little spinning-wheel, and
that was spinning wonderful fast, and twirling that's tail. And as
that span that sang: