Soon after, the second sister came up, meaning also to pluck out one of the golden feathers; but she had hardly touched her sister when she found herself held fast.
Lastly, the third one came, with the same intention, but the others screamed out: “Keep away! For goodness sake, keep away!”
But she, not knowing why she was to keep away, thought, “Why should I not be there, if they are there?”
So she ran up, but as soon as she touched her sisters she had to stay hanging on to them, and they all had to pass the night like this.
In the morning, Simpleton took up the goose under his arm, without noticing the three girls hanging on behind, so they had to keep running after, dodging his legs right and left.
In the middle of the fields they met the parson, who, when he saw the procession, cried out: “For shame, you bold girls! Why do you run after the lad like that? Do you call that proper behavior?”
Then he took hold of the hand of the youngest girl to pull her away; but no sooner had he touched her than he felt himself held fast, and he, too, had to run behind.
Soon after the sexton came up, and, seeing his master the parson treading on the heels of the three girls, cried out in amazement: “Hallo, your Reverence! Whither away so fast? Don’t forget that we have a christening!”
So saying, he plucked the parson by the sleeve, and soon found that he could not get away either.
As this party of five, one behind the other, tramped on, two peasants came along the road, carrying their hoes. The parson called them, and asked them to set the sexton and himself free. But as soon as ever they touched the sexton they were held fast, so now there were seven people running behind Simpleton and his goose.