“Well,” said the huntsman, “this is extraordinary, and it is just what the old woman said I would see.”
He put his gun to his shoulder, took aim, and fired. Away went the birds with a great noise and scattering of feathers—all except one, which fell down dead, and at the same time the cloak dropped at the huntsman’s feet. He cut open the bird and found a ring inside and put it on his finger. Then he took the cloak and went home.
When he awoke the next morning he remembered the old woman’s promise and looked under his pillow. Sure enough, there lay a shining gold coin, and on the morning following he found another, and thus it was every morning. Gradually, he collected quite a heap of gold, and at last he said to himself: “What is the good of all this gold to me if I stay at home? I will go and look about in the world.”
So he took leave of his parents, shouldered his gun, and set out on his travels. One day a turn in the road brought into view a magnificent castle. An old woman and a beautiful girl were looking out from an upper window. The old woman was a witch, and the maiden was her daughter. “Here comes some one,” said she, “who has a magic ring on his finger. We must try to get it, my darling. It is better suited to us than to him. Whoever wears that ring finds a gold coin every morning under the pillow. You must get it from him or it will be the worse for you.”
She then withdrew, but the maiden remained looking out of the window. When the huntsman got nearer he saw her, and said to himself: “I am weary with traveling. I will stop at this fine castle and rest.” But he would not have felt such an urgent need of stopping if he had not seen the maiden.
He was kindly received and hospitably entertained, and he was soon so in love with the daughter of the witch that she was constantly in his thoughts, and he cared for nothing but pleasing her.
At length the witch decided on a plan for getting the ring. She concocted a drink that would make the huntsman insensible, put it in a goblet, and said to her daughter: “Carry this to the youth, and get his ring. He will not miss it.”
The maiden went to the huntsman, and said, “My dearest, here is a pleasant drink we have prepared for you.”
He took the goblet and drank what was in it, and soon it overpowered him and she secured the magic ring. After that the huntsman found no more gold under his pillow; but the maiden wore the ring every night, and the coin was under her pillow instead, and each morning the old woman used to come and get it. However, he did not trouble himself about the matter, and was content to enjoy the maiden’s company.
One day the old woman said to her daughter: “We have got the ring, but we must have his wishing-cloak, too.”