The devi gazed on Asphurtzela in unfeigned astonishment. When the food was cooked, and they sat down to supper, the devi, according to his custom, put the question to his guest: ‘Art thou an eater of bones or of flesh?’ ‘Pass me over the flesh, why should I eat bones? am I a dog that I should do this?’ answered Asphurtzela. The devi gave him flesh, and inquired: ‘Wilt thou drink out of a qantsi or out of a doki?’ ‘Pass over the doki, why should I take a qantsi?’ The devi gave him the doki, and sank into deep thought. When it was time to go to bed, the devi inquired: ‘Wilt thou sleep in the stable or in a bed?’ ‘I am a man, what should I do in the stable? Give me a bed,’ said Asphurtzela.
So it came to pass that Asphurtzela slept in the bed, and the devi lay down in the stable. He lay down, but, alas! he could not sleep. His one idea was how he could rid himself of this disagreeable guest. When he thought that Asphurtzela must be asleep, he took a huge sword and began to sharpen it. The noise of the sharpening awoke Asphurtzela, and he, guessing the devi’s design, jumped out of bed, and put a log of wood under the coverlet. Then he hid in the room. When the devi had made his sword as bright as a diamond, he stole out quietly, opened the door, and went noiselessly towards Asphurtzela’s bed. He raised his sword with all his might and main, and struck with such force that all the dust in the bed was raised, and the log was cleft through the middle. Then the devi went away and closed the door.
Asphurtzela shook down his bed and slept peacefully. In the morning, when the devi awoke and saw his brother-in-law, he gazed on him in amazement, and said: ‘Didst thou feel any pain in the night?’ ‘Oh, no!’ said Asphurtzela. ‘Not even a flea-bite?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then let us wrestle.’ ‘Very well,’ said Asphurtzela, and the combat began.
The devi struggled and struggled, but could not move his brother-in-law. Then Asphurtzela attacked him, and buried him in the ground up to the neck. He took his bow and arrow, aimed at the devi, and cried out: ‘Tell me quickly what thou hast done with my brothers, or I shall shoot thee.’ The devi was afraid, and said: ‘Do not kill me and I shall tell thee. In my breast is a little coffer, in it they are lying dead; there too is a handkerchief, place it on them, and they will become alive again.’
When Asphurtzela heard this, he cut open the devi’s breast, took out the coffer, brought out his brothers, placed a handkerchief on them, and they came back to life. Then he shot his arrow at the hundred-headed devi and killed him. When he had cut him into small pieces, he went to the devi’s mother and killed her too. Then he learnt his brothers’ story, and told them his in return.
The brothers believed Asphurtzela, but envy entered their hearts when they found how much braver he was than they. At last they all arose and went towards home. On the way they had to pass through an open field, where there grew a tree, so large that all the field was under its shade. Asphurtzela said to his brothers and sister: ‘Let us rest here, I am very tired and would close my eyes a little.’ The brothers consented.
Asphurtzela lay down at the foot of the tree and slept like the dead. His brothers sat down near him, and began to whisper one to another: ‘Now that he has killed the hundred-headed devi, what good can he do us? Come, let us bind him to this tree and leave him here.’ They took withs, twisted them round and round, and bound him to the tree, so hard that blood poured from his fingers. When his sister saw this, she entreated them to spare him, but they would not listen to her. They bound him tight, took their sister and went home.
As soon as they were in the house, the girl told their mother everything. The mother called down curses on her three sons.
When Asphurtzela woke and saw that he was bound to the tree, he tried hard to get away, but could not move. He looked round, and saw that his brothers were no longer there. He looked everywhere, and then prayed to God: ‘O God, if I have deceived my brothers, may this tree become stronger, but if they have deceived me, may I pull it up by the roots.’ When he had said this he tried again, and the tree came up by the roots.
Then Asphurtzela arose and went home, bearing the tree with him. He came to the house, and called to his brothers: ‘Come out at once and loose my hands!’ His brothers grew pale and faint from fear, but they came out and set him free. After this Asphurtzela did not wish to live with his brothers, and made ready to leave home. His sister and mother entreated him to stay, but Asphurtzela would not yield.