Suddenly the door opened; a beautiful maiden entered.
“Are you asleep, or not, good youth?” says she.
“No, fair maiden! I can’t get to sleep, for I’m always thinking which bride to choose.”
“That’s the very reason I have come to give you counsel. You see, good youth, you’ve managed to become the devil’s guest. Now listen. If you want to go on living in the white world, then do what I tell you. But if you don’t follow my instructions, you’ll never get out of here alive!”
“Tell me what to do, fair maiden. I won’t forget it all my life.”
“To-morrow the fiend will bring you twelve maidens, each one exactly like the others. But you take a good look and choose me. A fly will be sitting above my right eye—that will be a certain guide for you.” And then the fair maiden proceeded to tell him about herself, who she was.
“Do you know the priest of such and such a village?” she says. “I’m his daughter, the one who disappeared from home when nine years old. One day my father was angry with me, and in his wrath he said, ‘May devils fly away with you!’ I went out on the steps and began to cry. All of a sudden the fiends seized me and brought me here; and here I am living with them!”
Next morning the old man brought in the twelve fair maidens—one just like another—and ordered the youth to choose his bride. He looked at them and took her above whose right eye sat a fly. The old man was loth to give her up, so he shifted the maidens about, and told him to make a fresh choice. The youth pointed out the same one as before. The fiend obliged him to choose yet a third time. He again guessed his bride aright.
“Well, you’re in luck! take her home with you,” said the fiend.
Immediately the youth and the fair maiden found themselves on the shore of the lake, and until they reached the high road they kept on walking backwards. Presently the devils came rushing after them in hot pursuit: