lways 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.

'Here, in my left arm-pit,' answered he.

So she picked up a knife and scraped away all the gold which had stuck
to his skin, and which had been sticking there ever since he first stole
it. After she had finished she asked again:

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

'Yes, grandmother, I got that too,' answered he.

'Where is it?' she asked, and Ball-Carrier lifted his right arm, and
pointed to his arm-pit.

'Here is the bridge, grandmother,' said he.

Then the witch did something that nobody in the world could have guessed
that she would do. First, she took the gold and said to Ball-carrier:

'My grandson, this gold must be hidden in the earth, for if people think
they can get it when they choose, they will become lazy and stupid. But
if we take it and bury it in different parts of the world they will have
to work for it if they want it, and then will only find a little at a
time.' And as she spoke, she pulled up one of the poles of the hut, and
Ball-Carrier saw that underneath was a deep, deep hole, which seemed to
have no bottom. Down this hole she poured all the gold, and when it was
out of sight it ran about all over the world, where people that dig hard
sometimes find it. And after that was done she put the pole back again.

Next she lifted down a spade from a high shelf, where it had grown quite
rusty, and dug a very small hole on the opposite side of the hut--very
small, but very deep.

'Give me the bridge,' said she, 'for I am going to bury it here. If
anyone was to get hold of it, and find that