should
come to the brook, then the sword was to rise from its bed and join him;
but if the man himself who had brought the sword there should come that
way, then the sword was to cut off both his feet.

By this he meant the sorcerer, but he expressed himself ambiguously.

The son of Kalev then left the brook, took the boards on his back, and
set out for home. On his journey he passed through a pine forest which
belonged to men, a leafy forest sacred to women, and a hazel thicket,
the last refuge of the maidens, the orphans, and the sick. Here his foot
touched something soft, which he found to be a man of about the stature
of our present race, who was quaking with fear and besought his
protection. The Kalevide took him up kindly by the hair, and dropped him
into his wallet, where he fell as down a deep precipice, till he came to
a stop among the bread and herrings at the bottom. Then the hero asked
him what had frightened him so much.

Up from the bottom of the bag came a voice like the croaking of
a frog from the bottom of a deep well, and this was the man's
story:--"Yesterday evening I was wandering on the shores of Lake Peipus,
and lost my way. Presently I came to a footpath which led me to a poor
hut, where I thought to find a night's lodging. I came into a great
empty room, where an old woman was standing by the hearth preparing
supper. She was cooking half a pig in a great pot with peas, and kindly
gave me a cupful, but told me to eat my supper quick. As soon as I had
finished, she told me to hide among the straw which she had laid under
the table, and to lie as still as a mouse, for if I only moved a finger
after her sons returned, they would be sure to kill me. I thanked the
good old woman, and crept into the straw, where three men could easily
have hidden themselves; and I hoped to sleep. But presently I heard
steps approaching which shook the house; and whether or not it was my
fear that makes me think so, I fancy, noble scion of the Kalevides, that
even your heavy tread never made such a noise.

"The two brothers rushed into the room like wild bears, and one of them
sniffed about the room and said, 'Mother, who has been here? I smell
man's sweat.' 'Nobody has even been near the house to-day, my son,'
answered the old woman. 'If you smell anything, you must have brought
the smell with you from out of doors.'

"Then she gave them their supper, and they ate as much as would have
satisfied fifty of our race,