He went away, and wandered on until he came to a field where a man was ploughing; when he turned up a clod he threw it into his mouth and swallowed it. Asphurtzela gazed and gazed, and at last said: ‘Man, why dost thou swallow these clods?’ ‘There is no cause for surprise in that; Asphurtzela has killed the hundred-headed devi, what is there remarkable in my swallowing clods?’ said the clod-swallower. ‘I am Asphurtzela, so let us be as brothers,’ said Asphurtzela. They went on together.
When they had gone some distance they came to another field, where there was a man with mill wheels tied to his feet, and in his pocket were two hares. He let both the hares away, and then caught both again. Asphurtzela gazed and gazed at the man, and then said: ‘Man, what art thou doing? how canst thou catch these hares?’ ‘Asphurtzela killed the hundred-headed devi, what is there remarkable in catching two hares?’ said the hare-catcher.[6] ‘Why, this is Asphurtzela, and he will be as a brother to thee, if thou wilt,’ said the clod-swallower. So they all went on together.
On the way, the comrades arranged that each should shoot his arrow in turn, and in the place where it stuck they should eat their repast. First of all the clod-swallower shot. His arrow stuck in a very awkward place, but they came and took their supper there.
Then the hare-catcher shot his arrow, which also stuck in an awkward place. They came to it and ate their mid-day meal.
Last of all Asphurtzela cast his arrow, and it stuck on the shelf of a house where dwelt three devis. At that time the devis were being married to three fair maidens. They saw the arrow stick in their shelf, and stopped the weddings. They tried to pull the arrow out, they struggled and struggled, but could not move it. Then they said: ‘Since we cannot pull this arrow out, let us go away, in case he who shot it comes and takes up his abode here.’ They left in the house only one lame devi, whom they hid in the chimney.
The three friends came in, laid the cloth, and made ready their supper. They threw up their caps for joy. Then they said: ‘Come, let each of us, in turn, remain at home and prepare the food.’
The first day the clod-swallower stayed in. He had prepared the food and dressed it, when, behold! the lame devi came down from the chimney, and said to the clod-swallower: ‘Give me to eat and drink.’ He gave him food. ‘Give me to eat and drink,’ said the devi again. He gave him food once more. When he made the same demand a third time, the clod-swallower answered: ‘If thou eatest and drinkest everything, what shall I say to my comrades?’ The devi said: ‘Give me to eat and drink, or I shall eat thee and thy provisions too.’ The clod-swallower was afraid, and ran to the door. The devi sat down and finished all the food.
The companions came home and saw that there was no food, but what did it matter? They managed for that day, and the next morning left the hare-catcher at home. The same thing happened to him as to the clod-swallower. Then it was Asphurtzela’s turn.
He prepared a quantity of different kinds of food and drink for his companions. Then the lame devi came out of the chimney, and said: ‘Give me to eat and drink.’ Asphurtzela did so. ‘Give me to eat and drink,’ again said the devi. Asphurtzela did so. When he asked a third time, Asphurtzela said: ‘If I give thee all, what will my comrades do?’ ‘If thou wilt not give me to eat, I shall eat thee and thy food too.’ Asphurtzela smiled to himself, took his bow and arrow, shot the devi through the heart, and cut him in halves.
The devi’s head rolled one way and his body another. The head cried out: ‘Happy is he who will follow me.’ The body cried: ‘Woe to the man who follows me.’ In the meantime Asphurtzela’s companions returned. They ate, and then said: ‘Let us go and see what the devi’s head promised.’