"Well, I shall give thee gold enough to get thee through all dangers. I give it, mind, out of pure Christian charity; but now tell me honestly—canst thou really make a love-drink?"
Illa.—"Yes; her sister had taught her."
"Is the drink of equal power for men and women?"
Illa.—"Yes; without doubt, it would make either mad with love."
"Has it ever an injurious effect upon them? does it take away their strength?"
Illa.—"Yes; they fall down like flies. Some lose their memory, others become blind or lame."
"Has she ever tried its effects upon any one herself?"
Illa.—"But will the lady betray me?"
"Out, fool! When I have promised thee gold enough to insure thy escape! I betray thee!"
Illa.—"Then she will tell the lady the whole truth. She did give a love-drink to Albert, because he grew cross, and spent the nights away from her, and complained if she idled a little, so that her master beat her. Therefore she determined to punish him, and a rash came out over his whole body, so that he could neither sit nor lie for six weeks, and at night he had to be tied to a post with a hand-towel; but all this time his love for her grew so burning, that although he had previously hated and beaten her, yet now if she only brought him a drink of cold water, for which he was always screaming, he would kiss her hands and feet even though she spat in his face, and he would certainly have died if his relations had not found out an old woman who unbewitched him; whereupon his love came to an end, and he informed against her."