The witches saw them coming, and laughed gleefully. “Let us play a trick on these young Gurus,” they said, “and turn them all into young bulls.”
This they did, and, leading the creatures to their husbands, said: “See what fine bulls we have brought in exchange for two and a half pounds of flour.”
The husbands were very pleased, and kept the bulls to carry loads.
Meanwhile the old Guru waited for his followers, but as none of them appeared, he sought the aid of his books and discovered what had happened.
Then he pronounced his incantations and dried up all the water in the country, with the exception of one well, near which he sat.
The witches soon found that they would die of thirst, so they came to the old man’s well, but they barely had time to put down their chatties before he turned the lot of them into donkeys and let them graze.
Very soon the witches were missed by their husbands, who came to the old Guru and asked if he could give any news.
“How can I tell,” said he, “when one hundred and thirty-five of my own Gurus are lost and I cannot find them.”
“But you can recall them, our Father,” said the men.
“That is what I mean to do;” and so saying, the Guru took out his books and began to read. While he did this, they saw in the distance a herd of one hundred and thirty-five bulls approaching, and each one carried a load of wood or hay.