After a time the king returned from the wars; and, when he reached his palace, saw his wife at the foot of the stairs and heard all that had been done to her. At first he was angry, but they persuaded him that it was all as it should be, and he left his queen there, thin and ill. Still he was very unhappy, and to console himself he went out hunting. In the forest there lived a fairy, a friend of the hermit’s. She it was who had led the hermit to the children, and now she guided the king to the hermit’s hut. There were the children, beautiful as flowers, each with the red cross.
“That reminds me of what my wife once said,” said he. “All come and have dinner with me to-morrow.”
With that he went home and told what had happened. So the queen-mother called the witch, and said:—
“What shall we do? We shall be found out.”
“No, no,” said the witch; “you leave all to me; it will be all right.”
Meanwhile the hermit had gone to ask advice from the fairy.
“You must all go,” said she. “When you come to the palace you will see a beautiful pale woman walled in at the foot of the stairs, and you will be told to spit on her; but you must refuse to do it. That is the children’s mother.”
The three children and the hermit went to the palace.
“Spit on that woman,” commanded the guard.
“No,” said they all; “such a thing would be very improper.”