oy bade farewell to the witch
and set out. He walked through the forest for several days without
seeing anyone but his friends the squirrels and the bears and the
birds, but though he stopped and spoke to them all, he was careful not
to let them know where he was going.

At last, after many days, he came to the river, and beyond it he
noticed a small hut standing on a hill which he guessed to be the home
of the Bad One. But the stream flowed so quickly that he could not see
how he was ever to cross it, and in order to test how swift the
current really was, he broke a branch from a tree and threw it in. It
seemed hardly to touch the water before it was carried away, and even
his magic sight could not follow it. He could not help feeling
frightened, but he hated giving up anything that he had once
undertaken, and, fastening the ball on his right foot, he ventured on
the river. To his surprise he was able to stand up; then a panic
seized him, and he scrambled up the bank again. In a minute or two he
plucked up courage to go a little further into the river, but again
its width frightened him, and a second time he turned back. However,
he felt rather ashamed of his cowardice, as it was quite clear that
his ball _could_ support him, and on his third trial he got safely to
the other side.

Once there he replaced the ball in the bag, and looked carefully round
him. The door of the Bad One's hut was open, and he saw that the
ceiling was supported by great wooden beams, from which hung the bags
of gold and the little bridge. He saw, too, the Bad One sitting in the
midst of his treasures eating his dinner, and drinking something out
of a horn. It was plain to the boy that he must invent some plan of
getting the Bad One out of the way, or else he would never be able to
steal the gold or the bridge.

What should he do? Give horrible shrieks as if he were in pain? But
the Bad One would not care whether he were murdered or not! Call him
by his name? But the Bad One was very cunning, and would suspect some
trick. He must try something better than that! Then suddenly an idea
came to him, and he gave a little jump of joy. 'Oh, how stupid of me
not to think of that before!' said he, and he wished with all his
might that the Bad One should become very hungry--so hungry that he
could not wait a moment for fresh food to be brought to him. And sure
enough at that instant the Bad One called out to his servant, 'You did
not bring food that