Whentheoldwomansawthatthepowersofhermagicwereofsolittleavail，shehadrecoursetocunning。Shethrewalotofgoldnutsintothepond，hopinginthiswaytocatchtheduck，butallhereffortswerefruitless，forthelittlecreaturerefusedtoletitselfbecaught。
Thenanewideastruckthewickedoldwoman，andhidingherselfbehindtherockwhichhadshelteredthefugitives，shewaitedbehindit，watchingcarefullyforthemomentwhenthePrinceandherdaughtershouldresumetheirnaturalformsandcontinuetheirjourney。
Shehadnottowaitlong，forassoonasthegirlthoughthermotherwassafelyoutoftheway，shechangedherselfandthePrinceoncemoreintotheirhumanshape，andsetoutcheerfullyfortheriver。
ButtheyhadnotgonemanystepswhenthewickedFairyhurriedafterthem，adrawndaggerinherhand，andwascloseuponthem，whensuddenly，insteadofthePrinceandherdaughter，shefoundherselfinfrontofagreatstonechurch，whoseentrancewascarefullyguardedbyahugemonk。
Breathlesswithrageandpassion，shetriedtoplungeherdaggerintothemonk’sheart，butitfellshatteredinpiecesatherfeet。Inherdesperationshedeterminedtopulldownthechurch，andthustodestroyhertwovictimsforever。Shestampedthreetimesontheground，andtheearthtrembled，andboththechurchandthemonkbegantoshake。AssoonastheFairysawthissheretreatedtosomedistancefromthebuilding，soasnottobehurtherselfbyitsfall。Butoncemoreherschemewasdoomedtofailure，forhardlyhadshegoneayardfromthechurchthanbothitandthemonkdisappeared，andshefoundherselfinawoodblackasnight，andfullofwolvesandbearsandwildanimalsofallsortsanddescriptions。
Thenherwrathgaveplacetoterror，forshefearedeverymomenttobetorninpiecesbythebeastswhooneandallseemedtodefyherpower。Shethoughtitwisesttomakeherwayasbestshecouldoutoftheforest，andthentopursuethefugitivesoncemoreandaccomplishtheirdestructioneitherbyforceorcunning。
InthemeantimethePrinceandtheblackgirlhadagainassumedtheirnaturalforms，andwerehurryingonasfastastheycouldtoreachtheriver。Butwhentheygottheretheyfoundthattherewasnowayinwhichtheycouldcrossit，andthegirl’smagicartseemednolongertohaveanypower。ThenturningtothePrinceshesaid，’Thehourformydeliverancehasnotyetcome，butasyoupromisedtodoallyoucouldtofreeme，youmustdoexactlyasIbidyounow。Takethisbowandarrowandkilleverybeastyouseewiththem，andbesureyousparenolivingcreature。’
Withthesewordsshedisappeared，andhardlyhadshedonesothanahugewildboarstartedoutofthethicketnearandmadestraightforthePrince。Buttheyouthdidnotlosehispresenceofmind，anddrawinghisbowhepiercedthebeastwithhisarrowrightthroughtheskull。Thecreaturefellheavilyontheground，andoutofitssidesprangalittlehare，whichranlikethewindalongtheriverbank。ThePrincedrewhisbowoncemore，andtheharelaydeadathisfeet；butatthesamemomentadoveroseupintheair，andcircledroundthePrince’sheadinthemostconfidingmanner。Butmindfuloftheblackgirl’scommands，hedarednotsparethelittlecreature’slife，andtakinganotherarrowfromhisquiverhelaiditasdeadastheboarandthehare。Butwhenhewenttolookatthebodyofthebirdhefoundinsteadofthedovearoundwhiteegglyingontheground。
Whilehewasgazingonitandwonderingwhatitcouldmean，heheardthesweepingofwingsabovehim，andlookinguphesawahugevulturewithopenclawsswoopingdownuponhim。Inamomentheseizedtheeggandflungitatthebirdwithallhismight，andloandbehold！insteadoftheuglymonsterthemostbeautifulgirlhehadeverseenstoodbeforetheastonishedeyesofthePrince。
ButwhileallthiswasgoingonthewickedoldFairyhadmanagedtomakeherwayoutofthewood，andwasnowusingthelastresourceinherpowertoovertakeherdaughterandthePrince。
Assoonasshewasintheopenagainshemountedherchariot，whichwasdrawnbyafierydragon，andflewthroughtheairinit。Butjustasshegottotherivershesawthetwoloversineachother’sarmsswimmingthroughthewateraseasilyastwofishes。
Quickaslightning，andforgetfulofeverydanger，sheflewdownuponthem。Butthewatersseizedherchariotandsunkitinthelowestdepths，andthewavesborethewickedoldwomandownthestreamtillshewascaughtinsomethornbushes，whereshemadeagoodmealforallthelittlefishesthatwereswimmingabout。
AndsoatlastthePrinceandhislovelyBridewerefree。TheyhurriedasquicklyastheycouldtotheoldKing，whoreceivedthemwithjoyandgladness。Onthefollowingdayamostgorgeousweddingfeastwasheld，andasfarasweknowthePrinceandhisbridelivedhappilyforeverafterwards。
FromtheIroquois。
Onceuponatimetherewereamanandhiswifewholivedintheforest，veryfarfromtherestofthetribe。Veryoftentheyspentthedayinhuntingtogether，butafterawhilethewifefoundthatshehadsomanythingstodothatshewasobligedtostayathome；sohewentalone，thoughhefoundthatwhenhiswifewasnotwithhimheneverhadanyluck。Oneday，whenhewasawayhunting，thewomanfellill，andinafewdaysshedied。
Herhusbandgrievedbitterly，andburiedherinthehousewhereshehadpassedherlife；butasthetimewentonhefeltsolonelywithoutherthathemadeawoodendollaboutherheightandsizeforcompany，anddresseditinherclothes。Heseateditinfrontofthefire，andtriedtothinkhehadhiswifebackagain。Thenextdayhewentouttohunt，andwhenhecamehomethefirstthinghedidwastogouptothedollandbrushoffsomeoftheashesfromthefirewhichhadfallenonitsface。
Buthewasverybusynow，forhehadtocookandmend，besidesgettingfood，fortherewasnoonetohelphim。Andsoawholeyearpassedaway。
Attheendofthattimehecamebackfromhuntingonenightandfoundsomewoodbythedoorandafirewithin。Thenextnighttherewasnotonlywoodandfire，butapieceofmeatinthekettle，nearlyreadyforeating。Hesearchedallabouttoseewhocouldhavedonethis，butcouldfindnoone。Thenexttimehewenttohunthetookcarenottogofar，andcameinquiteearly。Andwhilehewasstillalongwayoffhesawawomangoingintothehousewithwoodonhershoulders。Sohemadehaste，andopenedthedoorquickly，andinsteadofthewoodendoll，hiswifesatinfrontofthefire。
Thenshespoketohimandsaid，’TheGreatSpiritfeltsorryforyou，becauseyouwouldnotbecomforted，soheletmecomebacktoyou，butyoumustnotstretchoutyourhandtotouchmetillwehaveseentherestofourpeople。Ifyoudo，Ishalldie。’
Sothemanlistenedtoherwords，andthewomandweltthere，andbroughtthewoodandkindledthefire，tillonedayherhusbandsaidtoher，’Itisnowtwoyearssinceyoudied。Letusnowgobacktoourtribe。Thenyouwillbewell，andIcantouchyou。’
Andwiththathepreparedfoodforthejourney，astringofdeer’sfleshforhertocarry，andoneforhimself；andsotheystarted。Nowthecampofthetribewasdistantsixdays’
journey，andwhentheywereyetoneday’sjourneyoffitbegantosnow，andtheyfeltwearyandlongedforrest。Thereforetheymadeafire，cookedsomefood，andspreadouttheirskinstosleep。
Thentheheartofthemanwasgreatlystirred，andhestretchedouthisarmstohiswife，butshewavedherhandsandsaid，’Wehaveseennooneyet；itistoosoon。’
Buthewouldnotlistentoher，andcaughthertohim，andbehold！hewasclaspingthewoodendoll。Andwhenhesawitwasthedollhepusheditfromhiminhismiseryandrushedawaytothecamp，andtoldthemallhisstory。Andsomedoubted，andtheywentbackwithhimtotheplacewhereheandhiswifehadstoppedtorest，andtherelaythedoll，andbesides，theysawinthesnowthestepsoftwopeople，andthefootofonewaslikethefootofthedoll。Andthemangrievedsoreallthedaysofhislife。
FromtheRedIndian。
Faraway，inNorthAmerica，wheretheRedIndiansdwell，therelivedalongtimeagoabeautifulmaiden，whowaslovelierthananyothergirlinthewholetribe。Manyoftheyoungbravessoughtherinmarriage，butshewouldlistentooneonly——ahandsomechief，whohadtakenherfancysomeyearsbefore。Sotheyweretobemarried，andgreatrejoicingsweremade，andthetwolookedforwardtoalonglifeofhappinesstogether，whentheverynightbeforetheweddingfeastasuddenillnessseizedthegirl，and，withoutawordtoherfriendswhowereweepingroundher，shepassedsilentlyaway。
Theheartofherloverhadbeensetuponher，andthethoughtofherremainedwithhimnightandday。Heputasidehisbow，andwentneithertofightnortohunt，butfromsunrisetosunsethesatbytheplacewhereshewaslaid，thinkingofhishappinessthatwasburiedthere。Atlast，aftermanydays，alightseemedtocometohimoutofthedarkness。Herememberedhavingheardfromtheold，oldpeopleofthetribe，thattherewasapaththatledtotheLandofSouls——thatifyousoughtcarefullyyoucouldfindit。
Sothenextmorninghegotupearly，andputsomefoodinhispouchandslunganextraskinoverhisshoulders，forheknewnothowlonghisjourneywouldtake，norwhatsortofcountryhewouldhavetogothrough。Onlyonethingheknew，thatifthepathwasthere，hewouldfindit。Atfirsthewaspuzzled，asthereseemednoreasonheshouldgoinonedirectionmorethananother。ThenallatoncehethoughthehadheardoneoftheoldmensaythattheLandofSoulslaytothesouth，andso，filledwithnewhopeandcourage，hesethisfacesouthwards。Formany，manymilesthecountrylookedthesameasitdidroundhisownhome。Theforests，thehills，andtheriversallseemedexactlyliketheoneshehadleft。Theonlythingthatwasdifferentwasthesnow，whichhadlainthickuponthehillsandtreeswhenhestarted，butgrewlessandlessthefartherhewentsouth，tillitdisappearedaltogether。Soonthetreesputforththeirbuds，andflowerssprangupunderhisfeet，andinsteadofthickcloudstherewasblueskyoverhishead，andeverywherethebirdsweresinging。Thenheknewthathewasintherightroad。
Thethoughtthatheshouldsoonbeholdhislostbridemadehisheartbeatforjoy，andhespedalonglightlyandswiftly。Nowhiswayledthroughadarkwood，andthenoversomesteepcliffs，andonthetopofthesehefoundahutorwigwam。Anoldmanclothedinskins，andholdingastaffinhishand，stoodinthedoorway；andhesaidtotheyoungchiefwhowasbeginningtotellhisstory，’Iwaswaitingforyou，whereforeyouhavecomeI
know。Itisbutashortwhilesinceshewhomyouseekwashere。
Restinmyhut，asshealsorested，andIwilltellyouwhatyouask，andwhitheryoushouldgo。’
Onhearingthesewords，theyoungmanenteredthehut，buthisheartwastooeagerwithinhimtosufferhimtorest，andwhenhearose，theoldmanrosetoo，andstoodwithhimatthedoor。
