Before long the Witch came by riding at a furious pace on a tom cat.
When he had taken possession, he summoned the little black Man, and said: ‘I served my King faithfully, but he sent me away to die of hunger. Now I will have my revenge.’
‘What do you wish me to do?’ asked the Little Man.
‘Late at night, when the Princess is asleep in her bed, bring her, sleeping, to me, and I will make her do menial service for me.’
‘It is an easy enough thing for me to do,’ said the Little Man. ‘But it will be a bad business for you if it comes out.’
As the clock struck twelve, the door sprang open, and the Little Man bore the Maiden in.
‘Ah ha! There you are!’ cried the Soldier. ‘Set about your work at once. Fetch the broom and sweep the floor.’
When she had finished, he sat down and ordered her to take his boots off. Then he threw them at her, and made her pick them up and clean them. She did everything he ordered without resistance, silently, and with half-shut eyes.
At the first cock-crow, the Little Man carried her away to the royal palace, and put her back in bed.
In the morning when the Princess got up, she went to her Father, and told him that she had had an extraordinary dream.