He saw an Old Woman standing in one of the windows looking out, with a beautiful Maiden beside her.
But the Old Woman was a witch, and she said to the Maiden: ‘Here comes some one out of the forest. He has a wonderful treasure inside him; we must try to get it from him, my darling, it will suit us better than him. He has a bird’s heart about him, and therefore he finds a gold coin every morning under his pillow when he wakes.’
She told the girl how he had got it, and at last said: ‘If you don’t get it from him, it will be the worse for you.’
When the Huntsman got nearer, he saw the Maiden, and said: ‘I have been wandering about for a long time, I will go into this castle and take a rest. I have plenty of money.’
But the real reason was that he had caught sight of the pretty picture at the window. He went in, and he was kindly received and hospitably treated.
Before long, he was so enamoured of the Witch-Maiden that he thought of nothing else, and cared for nothing but pleasing her.
The Old Woman said to the Maiden: ‘Now we must get the bird’s heart, he will never miss it.’
They concocted a potion, and when it was ready they put it into a goblet.
And the Maiden took it to him, and said: ‘Now, my beloved, you must drink to me.’
He took the cup and drank the potion, and when he was overpowered by it the bird’s heart came out of his mouth.