“Hold your noise! I’ll cure her.”
The old man fell at the fox’s feet.
“Only cure her! I’ll pay whatever is wanted.”
“Well, then, heat the bath-room, carry the old woman there along with a bag of oatmeal and a pot of butter, and then stand outside the door; but don’t look inside.”
The old man heated the bath-room, carried in what was wanted, and stood outside at the door. But the fox went into the bath-room, shut the door, and began washing the old woman’s remains; washed and washed, and kept looking about her all the time.
“How’s my old woman getting on?” asked the old man.
“Beginning to stir!” replied the fox, who then ate up the old woman, collected her bones and piled them up in a corner, and set to work to knead a hasty pudding.
The old man waited and waited. Presently he asked;
“How’s my old woman getting on?”
“Resting a bit!” cried the fox, as she gobbled up the hasty pudding.