at hast thou for dowry, fair damsel," said he, "in thy bag and
bottle?"

"Bread and cheese and small-beer, father," says she, smiling. "Will it
please you to partake of either?"

"With all my heart," says he, and when she pulled out her provisions he
ate them nearly all. But once again she made no complaint, but bade him
eat what he needed, and welcome.

Now when he had finished he gave her many thanks, and said:

"For your beauty, and your kindness, and your grace, take this wand.
There is a thick thorny hedge before you which seems impassable. But
strike it thrice with this wand, saying each time, 'Please, hedge, let
me through,' and it will open a pathway for you. Then, when you come to
a well, sit down on the brink of it; do not be surprised at anything you
may see, but, whatever you are asked to do, that do!"

So saying the old man went into the cave, and she went on her way. After
a while she came to a high, thick thorny hedge; but when she struck it
three times with the wand, saying, "Please, hedge, let me through," it
opened a wide pathway for her. So she came to the well, on the brink of
which she sate down, and no sooner had she done so, than a golden head
without any body came up through the water, singing as it came:

"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."

"Certainly," she said, pulling out her silver comb. Then, placing the
head on her lap, she began to comb the golden hair. When she had combed
it, she lifted the golden head softly, and laid it on a primrose bank to
dry. No sooner had she done this than another golden head appeared,
singing as it came:

"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."

"Certainly," says she, and after combing the golden hair, placed the
golden head softly on the primrose bank, beside the first one.

Then came a third head out of the well, and it said the same thing:

"Wash me, and comb me, lay me on a bank to dry
Softly and prettily to watch the passers-by."

"With all my heart," says she graciously, and after taking the head on
her lap, and combing its golden hair with her silver comb, there were
the three golden heads in a row on the primrose bank. And she sate down
to rest herself and looked at them, they were so quaint and pretty; and
as she rested she cheerfully ate and drank the meagre portion of the
brown bread, hard cheese, and small-beer w