Night fell upon them as they were passing a meadow, and in that meadow they saw the light of a fire. They made for the light. It was an old woman’s, and she was a witch, and had four daughters. And they went there, and went into the house; and Tropsyn said, ‘Good-night.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Can you give us a night’s lodging?’
‘I’m not sure; my mother is not at home. When she comes you had better ask her.’
The mother came home. ‘What are you wanting, young fellows?’ [[105]]
‘We’ve come to demand your daughters in marriage.’
‘Good.’
She made them a bed on the ground with its head to the threshold, and her daughters’ with its head to the wall. And the old woman sharpened her sword to cut off their heads. And Tropsyn took his brothers’ caps, and put them on the girls’ heads. And the old woman arose, and kept feeling the caps, and keeps cutting off the heads, and killed her daughters.
Tropsyn arose, and led his brothers outside. ‘Come, be off.’ And he arose, Tropsyn; and the old woman had a golden bird in a cage; and Tropsyn said to the horse, ‘I will take a feather of the bird.’
And the horse said, ‘Don’t.’