h she used to stir the herbs stewing in the caldron. When the Poor
Boy bade her good evening, she eyed him from top to toe.

"Welcome, my hero! I've expected you a long time, for this caldron has
long been rattling and telling me continually that you were on the
way."

The lad was much pleased with this kind reception, for the old woman
did not seem to him at all peevish, as she looked kindly at him and
spoke in a gentle voice. She, too, was glad, because she had again
laid hands on a man, for the poles bearing human skulls protected her
from the malicious elves, who could not pass through them; and there
was still one piece of ground large enough for three heads, where
poles had not yet been put.

They now agreed that the Poor Boy should watch the drove a whole year,
and in payment receive the horse he himself should choose; but if he
should lose the drove he was to give up his head to the witch. The old
woman instantly stuck a pole in the ground and put the hero's hat on
it. Then the youth ate something, that he might not go with the drove
to the pasture hungry. While the boy was eating, the witch led the
mares behind the hut and began to beat them with the giant's shin
bone, telling them not to drink any water during the night, nor allow
the others to do so, because the water from the springs in the plain
would put them to sleep, and the old woman wanted the herd to graze
all night. The boy knew nothing about this.

When he came to the pasture with the drove he was attacked by so great
a thirst, that he would have walked from morning till night to find a
drop of water; so to quench it he lay down by a spring and drank, and
even while drinking he fell asleep.

When in the first gray dawn of the next morning he woke from his
slumber, the drove had vanished, leaving no trace anywhere! It is only
necessary to remember that the lad's cap was already hanging on the
pole to understand how great was his despair. But he gazed around him
in every direction without discovering even a sign of a horse; the
morning twilight was fast vanishing, and he stood utterly forsaken,
not knowing which way to turn. Then he recollected the service he had
once rendered the wasp, and thought that a wasp flies so fast that it
might discover the drove and bring him news of their hiding-place, so
he took the hair he had pulled from under the wasp's right wing and
shook it. Quick as thought a buzzing noise was heard from every
direction--it g