“All right,” said the miller. “How shall I treat them?”
The huntsman said he would have the old donkey, which was the witch, well beaten three times a day and fed once. Then he pointed out the one which was the servant lass, and said, “Beat that one once and feed it three times; and this other you are not to beat at all. It is to receive good care and plenty to eat;” for he could not make up his mind to cause the fair maiden pain.
He returned to the castle and made himself very comfortable there. A few days later the miller came and told him the old gray donkey was dead. On learning this the huntsman took pity on the two other beasts, and had the miller bring them back to him. As soon as they came he gave them some of the pink cabbage to eat, and one promptly became the servant maid, and the other the beautiful daughter of the witch, just as they were before they ate of the green cabbage.
The beautiful maiden fell on her knees at the feet of the huntsman, and said: “Oh, my beloved, forgive all the wrong I have done you. My mother compelled me to do it against my will, for I love you with my whole heart. Your wishing-cloak hangs in one of the closets, and I will get your ring for you, too.”
“Keep the ring,” said he. “I intend to make you my bride, and we will enjoy our riches together.”
Soon afterward they were married, and they lived happily to the end of their lives.
SWEET PORRIDGE
YEARS ago there was a little girl who lived with her mother in a small house on the edge of a forest. They were very poor, and at length there came a time when they had nothing left to eat. One day the little girl went into the forest to get a few sticks with which to make a fire, and there she met an old woman who gave her a small pot, and said: “This pot will supply you with food, and you need never be hungry again. You have only to say, ‘Boil, little pot, boil!’ and it will cook you as much nice, sweet porridge as you can wish for. Just watch it, and when the porridge inside has increased to the amount you want, say, ‘Stop, little pot,’ and the boiling will immediately cease.”
The little girl thanked the old woman, and carried the pot home to her mother. After that they had plenty to eat, for the pot supplied them with sweet porridge as often as they pleased.