In the middle of the night, when the lad was sound asleep, the old woman took the Melon of Life out of the lad’s saddle bag and put a common melon in its place. In the morning the lad brought the melon to his stepmother, who eating it exclaimed:
“O, happy! I am healed.”
The lad again went hunting, and the witch said to the giant:
“Look here, giant; this enterprise did not prove fatal to my stepson. Advise me of another more dangerous journey on which I may send him, and from which he shall surely not return.”
Upon the advice of the giant she once more placed some thin and dry loaves of bread under her bed and lay down feigning sickness. In the evening when the lad came she said in a weak voice:
“O, son, I am dying, you will not see me any more.”
“Why, mother,” exclaimed the lad, “what is the matter? What can I do for you?”
“The only remedy for my sickness,” answered the witch, “is the milk of the Fairy Lioness. If you bring it for me I shall live; if not, I must die.”
The lad started, and again was the guest of the old woman, who asked where he was going.
“I am going this time to bring a skinful of the milk of the Fairy Lioness for my mother,” answered the lad.