35 In she went, and out she came,
A laidley adder was she;
['Oh, tho I am a laidley adder,
No harm I'll do to thee.]
36 'Oh quit thy sword, and bend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
[For if I am not wonne eer the sun goes down,
Wonne will I never be.']
37 He quit his sword, he bent his bow,
He gave her kisses three;
She crept into the cave a snake,
But stept out a lady.
38 'O quit thy sword, unbend thy bow,
And give me kisses three;
For tho I am a lady fair,
I am. . to modesty.'
39 He took his mantle from his back,
And wrapd his sister in,
And thei'r away to Bamburg Castle,
As fast as they coud winne.
40 His absence and her reptile form
The king had long deplored,
But now rejoiced to see them both
Again to him restored.
41 The queen he sought, who when he found
All quailed and sore affraid,
Because she knew her power must yield
To Child of Wynd, who said:
42 'O woe be to the[e], wicked woman,
An ill deed may thou dee!
As thou my sister likened,
So likened thou shalt be.
43 'I change thy body to a toad,
That on the earth doth wend,
And wonne, wonne shalt thou never be
Untill the world doth end!'
44 Now on the ground, near Ida's tower,
She crawls a loathsome toad,
And venom spits on every maid
She meets upon the road.