But her parents forbade her going, saying: “The witch is a wicked old woman, who performs many godless deeds; and if you go near her, you are no longer a child of ours.”
The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents' command, but went to the witch's house. When she arrived there the old woman asked her:—
“Why are you so pale?”
“Ah,” she replied, trembling all over, “I have frightened myself so with what I have just seen.”
“And what did you see?” inquired the old witch.
“I saw a black man on your steps.”
“That was a collier,” replied she.
“Then I saw a gray man.”
“That was a sportsman,” said the old woman.
“After him I saw a blood-red man.”