middle of the day, shall I come to thee in a car drawn by four
white horses the first time, by four red ones the second time, and
lastly by four black ones; and if thou art not waking but sleeping, thou
failest to set me free."

The man promised to do all she said.

"But ah!" cried she, "I know quite well I shall not be set free of thee;
something thou wilt surely take from the old woman."

But the man promised yet once more that certainly he would not touch the
meat or the drink. But when he came to the house the old woman came up
to him.

"My poor man," said she to him, "you are quite tired out, come and be
refreshed, and eat and drink."

"No," said the man, "I will eat and drink nothing."

But she left him no peace, saying,

"Even if you eat nothing, take a draught out of this cup once and away."

So he was over-persuaded, and he drank.

In the afternoon, about two o'clock, he went out into the garden to
stand upon the tan-heap and wait for the raven. As he stood there he
felt all at once so tired, that he could bear it no longer, and laid
himself down for a little; but not to sleep. But no sooner was he
stretched at length than his eyes closed of themselves, and he fell
asleep, and slept so sound, as if nothing in the world could awaken him.

At two o'clock came the raven in the car drawn by four white horses, but
she was sad, knowing already that the man would be asleep, and so, when
she came into the garden, there he lay sure enough. And she got out of
the car and shook him and called to him, but he did not wake. The next
day at noon the old woman came and brought him meat and drink, but he
would take none. But she left him no peace, and persuaded him until he
took a draught out of the cup. About two o'clock he went into the garden
to stand upon the tan-heap, and to wait for the raven, but he was
overcome with so great a weariness that his limbs would no longer hold
him up; and whether he would or no he had to lie down, and he fell into
a deep sleep. And when the raven came up with her four red horses, she
was sad, knowing already that the man would be asleep. And she went up
to him, and there he lay, and nothing would wake him.

The next day the old woman came and asked what was the matter with him,
and if he wanted to die, that he would neither eat nor drink; but he
answered,

"I neither can nor will eat and drink."

But she brought the dishes of food and the cup of wine, and placed them
before h