erson are you?" I heard someone groaning in another room, and I said I
was a doctor, and I asked her what ailed the person who was groaning.

"Oh," said she, "it is my son, whose hand has been bitten from his wrist
by a dog."

I knew then it was the boy who was taking the child from me, and I said
I would cure him if I got a good reward.

"I have nothing, but there are eight young lads and three young women,
as handsome as anyone laid eyes on, and if you cure him I will give you
them."

"But tell me in what place his hand was cut from."

"Oh, it was out in another country twelve years ago."

"Show me the way, that I may see him."

She brought me into a room, so that I saw him, and his arm was swelled
up to the shoulder. He asked if I would cure him; and I said I could
cure him if he would give me the reward his mother promised.

"Oh, I will give it, but cure me."

"Well, bring them out to me."

The hag brought them out of the room. I said I would burn the flesh that
was on his arm. When I looked on him he was howling with pain. I said
that I would not leave him in pain long. The thief had only one eye in
his forehead. I took a bar of iron, and put it in the fire till it was
red, and I said to the hag, "He will be howling at first, but will fall
asleep presently, and do not wake him until he has slept as much as he
wants. I will close the door when I am going out." I took the bar with
me, and I stood over him, and I turned it across through his eye as far
as I could. He began to bellow, and tried to catch me, but I was out and
away, having closed the door. The hag asked me, "Why is he bellowing?"

"Oh, he will be quiet presently, and will sleep for a good while, and
I'll come again to have a look at him; but bring me out the young men
and the young women."

I took them with me, and I said to her, "Tell me where you got them."

"Oh, my son brought them with him, and they are the offspring of the one
King."

I was well satisfied, and I had no liking for delay to get myself free
from the hag, and I took them on board the ship, and the child I had
myself. I thought the King might leave me the child I nursed myself; but
when I came to land, and all those young people with me, the King and
Queen were out walking. The King was very aged, and the Queen aged
likewise. When I came to converse with them, and the twelve with me, the
King and Queen began to cry. I asked, "Why are you crying?"

"Oh, it is for good ca