ound of the broom sweeping the ground close behind them, so instantly
they threw the handkerchief down over their shoulder, and in a moment
a deep, broad river flowed behind them.

[Illustration: The Comb Grows into a Forest]

When the witch came up to it, it took her a long time before she found
a place which she could ford over on her broom-stick; but at last she
got across, and continued the chase faster than before. And as the
children ran they heard a sound, and the little sister put her ear to
the ground, and heard the broom sweeping the earth close behind them;
so, quick as thought, she threw the comb down on the ground, and in an
instant, as the cat had said, a dense forest sprung up, in which the
roots and branches were so closely intertwined, that it was impossible
to force a way through it. So when the witch came up to it on her
broom she found that there was nothing for it but to turn round and go
back to her hut.

But the twins ran straight on till they reached their own home. Then
they told their father all that they had suffered, and he was so angry
with their step-mother that he drove her out of the house, and never
let her return; but he and the children lived happily together; and he
took care of them himself, and never let a stranger come near them.

_THE HAZEL-NUT CHILD_[29]

There was once upon a time a couple who had no children, and they
prayed Heaven every day to send them a child, though it were no bigger
than a hazel-nut. At last Heaven heard their prayer and sent them a
child exactly the size of a hazel-nut, and it never grew an inch. The
parents were very devoted to the little creature, and nursed and
tended it carefully. Their tiny son too was as clever as he could be,
and so sharp and sensible that all the neighbours marvelled over the
wise things he said and did.

When the Hazel-nut child was fifteen years old, and was sitting one
day in an egg-shell on the table beside his mother, she turned to him
and said, 'You are now fifteen years old, and nothing can be done with
you. What do you intend to be?'

'A messenger,' answered the Hazel-nut child.

Then his mother burst out laughing and said, 'What an idea! You a
messenger! Why, your little feet would take an hour to go the distance
an ordinary person could do in a minute!'

But the Hazel-nut child replied, 'Nevertheless I mean to be a
messenger! Just send me a message and you'll see that I shall be back
in next to no time