"'Well then,' said she, 'go to the fire and beg it to burn the fir.'
"So the lad said to the fire, 'My dear fire! do, fire, burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'
"'No! that I won't,' said the fire, 'I'm not going to burn myself out for that, that I won't.'
"So the lad told his mother.
"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the water and beg it to quench the fire.'
"So the lad said to the water,—
"'My dear water! do, water, quench the fire, the fire won't burn the fir, the fir won't fall on the Finn, the Finn won't shoot the bear, the bear won't slay the wolf, the wolf won't tear the fox, the fox won't bite Hairlock, and Hairlock won't come home in good time to tea to-day.'
"No, I won't,' said the water, 'I'm not going to run to waste for that, be sure.'
"So the lad told his mother.
"'Well then,' she said, 'go to the ox, and beg him to drink up the water.'