e pond the first time there was a
full moon, and to comb her black hair with a golden comb, and then to
place the comb on the bank. The hunter's wife gave the witch a handsome
present, thanked her heartily, and returned home.

Time dragged heavily till the time of the full moon, but it passed at
last, and as soon as it rose the young wife went to the pond, combed
her black hair with a golden comb, and when she had finished, placed the
comb on the bank; then she watched the water impatiently. Soon she heard
a rushing sound, and a big wave rose suddenly and swept the comb off the
bank, and a minute after the head of her husband rose from the pond and
gazed sadly at her. But immediately another wave came, and the head sank
back into the water without having said a word. The pond lay still and
motionless, glittering in the moonshine, and the hunter's wife was not a
bit better off than she had been before.

In despair she wandered about for days and nights, and at last, worn out
by fatigue, she sank once more into a deep sleep, and dreamt exactly the
same dream about the old witch. So next morning she went again to the
flowery meadow and sought the witch in her hut, and told her of her
grief. The old woman counselled her to go to the mill-pond the next
full moon and play upon a golden flute, and then to lay the flute on the
bank.

As soon as the next moon was full the hunter's wife went to the
mill-pond, played on a golden flute, and when she had finished placed it
on the bank. Then a rushing sound was heard, and a wave swept the flute
off the bank, and soon the head of the hunter appeared and rose up
higher and higher till he was half out of the water. Then he gazed sadly
at his wife and stretched out his arms towards her. But another rushing
wave arose and dragged him under once more. The hunter's wife, who had
stood on the bank full of joy and hope, sank into despair when she saw
her husband snatched away again before her eyes.

But for her comfort she dreamt the same dream a third time, and betook
herself once more to the old witch's hut in the flowery meadow. This
time the old woman told her to go the next full moon to the mill-pond,
and to spin there with a golden spinning-wheel, and then to leave the
spinning-wheel on the bank.

The hunter's wife did as she was advised, and the first night the moon
was full she sat and spun with a golden spinning-wheel, and then left
the wheel on the bank. In a few minutes a rush