She did so, saying, “Now, my Dearest, drink to me.”
So he took the cup, and when he had swallowed the draught, he brought up the heart of the bird. The girl had to take it away secretly and swallow it herself, for the Old Woman would have it so. Thenceforward he found no more gold under his pillow. But it lay instead under that of the maiden, from whence the Old Woman fetched it away every morning. But he was so much in love and so befooled, that he thought of nothing else but of passing his time with the maiden.
Then the old Witch said, “We have the bird’s heart, but we must also take the Wishing-Cloak away from him.”
The maiden answered, “We will leave him that; he has lost his wealth.”
The Old Woman was angry and said, “Such a mantle is a wonderful thing, and is seldom to be found in this world. I must and will have it!” She gave the maiden several blows, and said that if she did not obey, it should fare ill with her.
So she did the Old Woman’s bidding, placed herself at the window and looked on the distant country, as if she were very sorrowful.
The huntsman asked, “Why do you stand there so sorrowfully?”
“Ah, my Beloved,” was her answer, “over yonder lies the Garnet Mountain, where the precious stones grow. I long for them so much that when I think of them, I feel quite sad, but who can get them? Only the birds; they fly and can reach them, but a man never.”
“Have you nothing else to complain of?” said the huntsman. “I will soon remove that burden from your heart.”
With that he drew her under his mantle, wished himself on the Garnet Mountain. In the twinkling of an eye they were sitting on it together. Precious stones were glistening on every side, so that it was a joy to see them. Together they gathered the finest and costliest of them.