‘I desire that all the water in this pond be drained away, without a single fish in it dying.’
The devils set themselves to the task; the pond was soon empty; and not one fish in it died. When he arose, he saw that there was no longer any water in the pond, and that the fish in it remained alive. Filled with joy, he went away to the house.
‘Finished already?’ the witch asked him.
‘Yes, mother, I have done it already.’
Well, she went away out to see. She sees that not a single drop of water remained in her pond, but that the fish, still living, were like to die for want of water. The witch, having then returned home, said to herself, ‘What are we going to do with him now? He has already performed three feats for me; I must make him perform yet a fourth.’
She gave him food and drink. He went to bed.
Next morning, when he arose, the witch said to him, ‘Hearken, you shall have my daughter to wife if you accomplish this feat: my pond must be fuller than ever of water, and with more fish in it.’
Then he betook himself to the pond, this nobleman’s son, and began to weep bitterly. ‘Unhappy that I am, what am I going to do now?’ He sees his wife come bringing food.
‘Why are you weeping at such a rate? I’ve told you already not to weep any more.’
He ate; he lay down with his head in his wife’s lap, and fell asleep. She whistled, and the devils appeared in great numbers.