ing saw this, he had him flayed, and the skin dressed. Then he
issued a proclamation, that whoever could tell to what animal this skin
had belonged should have his daughter to wife." The question is answered
by an ogre, to whom the king gives his daughter rather than break his
promise. The hapless wife is afterward rescued by an old woman's seven
sons, who possess remarkable gifts. In Gonz. (No. 22, "The Robber who
had a Witch's Head"), a king with three daughters fattens a louse and
nails its skin over the door as in the Pentamerone. A robber, who had a
witch's head that told him everything he wanted to know, answers the
question, and receives in marriage the king's eldest daughter. He takes
her home and leaves her alone for a time, and on his return learns from
the witch's head that his wife has reviled him. He kills her and marries
the second sister, whom he kills for the same reason, and marries the
youngest. She is more discreet, and the witch's head can only praise
her. One day she finds the head and throws it in the oven; and the
robber, whose life was in some way connected with it, died. The wife
then anointed her sisters with a life-giving salve, and all three
returned to their father's house, and afterward married three handsome
princes. The third story, from the Tyrol (Schneller, No. 31, "The
Devil's Wife"), is connected with the Bluebeard story which will be
mentioned later. A king and queen had an only daughter, who was very
pretty and fond of dress. One day she found a louse; and as she did not
know what kind of an animal it was, she ran to her mother and asked her.
Her mother told her and said: "Shut the louse up in a box and feed it.
As soon as it is very large, we will have a pair of gloves made of its
skin; these we will exhibit, and whoever of your suitors guesses from
the skin of what animal they are made, shall be your husband." The
successful suitor is no other than the Devil, who takes his wife home
and forbids her to open a certain room. One day, while he is absent, she
opens the door of the forbidden chamber, and sees from the flames and
condemned souls who her husband is. She is so frightened that she
becomes ill, but manages to send word to her father by means of a
carrier-pigeon. The king sets out with many brave men to deliver her; on
the way he meets three men who possess wonderful gifts (far seeing,
sharp ear, great strength), and with their aid rescues his daughter.

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