So Osmo rowed on again. At this the creature raised such a pitiful outcry demanding what they meant denying assistance to a poor woman that Osmo was unable longer to refuse and in spite of Ilona’s warning he rowed to land.
Suyettar instantly jumped into the boat and seated herself in the middle with her face towards Osmo and her back towards Ilona.
“What a fine young man!” Suyettar said in whining flattering tones. “See how strong he is at the oars! And what a beautiful girl, too! I daresay the King’s Son would fall in love with her if ever he saw her!”
Thereupon Osmo very foolishly told Suyettar that the King’s Son had already promised to marry Ilona. At that an evil look came into Suyettar’s face and she sat silent for a time biting her fingers. Then she began mumbling a spell that made Osmo deaf to what Ilona was saying and Ilona deaf to what Osmo was saying.
At last in the distance the towers of the King’s castle appeared.
“Stand up, sister!” Osmo said. “Shake out your skirts and arrange your pretty ribbons! We’ll soon be landing now!”
Ilona could see her brother’s lips moving but of course she could not hear what he was saying.
“What is it, brother?” she asked.
Suyettar answered for him:
“Osmo orders you to jump headlong into the water!”