e tangled the yarn, the waves were forced to cast it
over the shore, he drove it downwards into the whirlpool to warn the
master-spinner, but all was in vain. At last, on Midsummer-day, when
the river-spirits have power to frighten and to injure, he sprinkled
some magic water in the faces of the whole troop of spinners and their
chief, as they were carrying on their washing as boldly and
unscrupulously as ever, and just as bloodthirsty men may be changed
into wear-wolves, and wear-cats, so did they become wear-spiders. They
all ran from the river to the wood, and were hanging everywhere from
the trees and bushes by their web. The workmen have become diminutive
spiders, and catch flies and gnats, but their master has retained
nearly his former size, and is called the spider-king. He lies in
watch for pretty girls, spins his web round them, lulls their senses
with his poisonous exhalations, and then sucks the blood from their
hearts. At last he overcame this princess, who had strayed from her
retinue in the wood. See, there, there, he is stirring among the
bushes."

"And indeed it seemed to the student as if he saw glimmering through
the branches, right opposite to him, the body of a gigantic spider; two
hairy feet, as thick as human arms, were working their way through the
foliage. He felt dreadfully alarmed for the lovely sleeper, and wished
to oppose the monster. 'Vain is your attempt!' cried the magpie,
flapping her wings; 'all enchanted men have fearful power, and this
monster could strangle you with his web; however, strew some fern-seed
on the breast of the fair one; that will make her invisible to the
spider-king, and so long as any particle of it remains, its virtue will
last.' In the greatest haste the student rubbed the brown dust from
the under surface of a fern-leaf, and did as the bird had desired.
While during this act, he bent over the sleeper, his cheek felt her
breath. Enraptured, he cried, 'Are there no means of freeing this
beloved form?' 'Oh,' screamed the bird, as she madly flew round the
student with a sort of zig-zag motion, 'if you ask me about means,
there are many indeed. Our wise old man in the cleft has the yew-tree
in keeping, and if you can get a branch of that, and with it touch the
fair one thrice upon the forehead, all her bonds will be dissolved:

'Before the yew tree,
All magic must flee.'

She will then sink in your arms, and belong to you, as her deliverer.'

"At