y rolled to
the door of her mother's house without her ever having to give an order
or speak a word.

When her mother and sister heard the coach draw up at the door they
ran out to see who was coming. There sat Blanche in the coach, all
dressed in fine clothes, and with her lap full of gold and diamonds.

Her mother welcomed her in and then began to question her as to how
she had become so rich and fine. It did not take her long to learn the
whole story.

Nothing would satisfy her but that Rose should go out into the forest,
and find the old woman, and get her to take her home with her as a
servant.

Rose grumbled and muttered, for she was a lazy girl and had no wish to
work for any one, whatever the reward, and she would rather have sat
at home and dozed; but her mother pushed her out of the door, and so
she had to go.

She slouched along through the forest, and presently she met the old
woman. "Will you take me home with you for a servant?" asked Rose.

"Come with me if you will," said the old woman, "but whatever you may
see do not laugh nor say anything about it."

"I am a great laugher," said Rose, and then she walked along with the
old woman through the forest.

Presently they came to the thorn hedge, and it opened before them just
as it had when Blanche had journeyed there. "That is a good thing,"
said Rose. "If it had not done that, not a step farther would I have
gone."

Soon they came to the place where the axes were fighting. Rose looked
and stared, and then she began to laugh.

A little later they came to where the arms were striving together, and
at that Rose laughed harder still. But when she came to where the
heads were butting each other, she laughed hardest of all. Then the
heads opened their mouths and spoke to her. "Evil you are, and evil
you will be, and no luck will come through your laughter."

Soon after they arrived at the old woman's house. She pushed open the
door, and they went in. The crone bade Rose gather sticks and build a
fire; she herself sat down by the hearth, and took off her head, and
began to comb and plait her hair.

Rose stood and looked and laughed. "What a stupid old woman you are,"
she said, "to take off your head to comb your hair!" and she laughed
and laughed.

The old woman was very angry. Still she did not say anything. She put
on her head and made up the fire herself. Rose would not do anything.
She would not even put the pot on the fire. She was as lazy