as he had come, for when he arrived his heart had not been
full of love and longing. Neither had he come through the bushes
without any trace of path or opening. But now he tumbled about
wherever he went, as though he had no eyes. Yet, however he returned,
he _did_ return, arriving just as the shepherds were driving their
cattle from the pasture into the village, and there he luckily met two
of his hunting companions.

Early the next morning heralds from the imperial court went through
the whole country, proclaiming that whoever would promise to bring a
wonder of a girl from the forest of the well with two trees, would be
received by the emperor as his councilor so long as he lived and the
whole court would do him honor. Lo, and behold! there came an old,
lame woman, with a hump on her back and as much hair on her head as
there is on the palm of the hand. "I am the person who can bring the
girl from the forest of the well with the two trees," she said. The
heralds looked at the old woman and burst out laughing.

"Are you from Satan's kingdom, you scare-crow?" said a herald. "Who,
in the Wood Witch's name, brought you in our way, for now we shall
have no luck. Begone from our sight."

But the old woman insisted that she could bring the girl from the
forest. And she stuck to the heralds like a bur to a sheep.

Then the oldest herald said: "Comrades, take her with us, for the
emperor said plainly that we were to bring to the court any person, no
matter who, that boasted of being able to execute his command; take
the old woman and put her in the carriage."

So they took the old woman and carried her to court.

"You have boasted that you could bring the girl from the forest?"
asked the emperor, seated on his throne.

"Long life to your majesty. Yes, I promised to do so."

"Then set to work."

"Let that be the old woman's care, but give me a kettle and a tripod."
She quickly received them and set off behind the emperor's huntsmen,
her mouth chattering and the kettle rattling, as the gipsies do when
they bring a bride to her wedding. The prince had not remained at
home either. How could he have staid behind and not known the why and
wherefore! When the party reached the forest, the hunters and the
prince halted and the old woman went on, like the Wood Witch, alone.

The shrewd, cunning old woman lighted a fire under the tree where the
girl was, placed the tripod over the flames, and hung the kettle on
it. But the