s' bed, the light went
out, and she left the room to light it, and saw in a little cottage
three old women sitting around a cauldron boiling over a great fire.
'Good women, are you washing?' 'What a washing! these are three heads,
and when they are cooked the princess will die.' 'Bravo, my good women;
bring the wood and I will help, too.' She remained there some time and
promised to return. The brighter the fire burned, the nearer the
princess came to death. The physician consoled the king and had a fine
supper prepared. The second night she carried food and a great deal of
wine to the old women, and when they were drunk threw them into the
fire and lifted off the cauldron with the boiling heads. The princess
recovered and the king wished to give her to the physician and reward
him with gems and gold, but the physician would take nothing, and
departed."

"You know, mistress, it is late and I am tired," interrupted the parrot;
"I will tell you the rest to-morrow."

The next day the woman who sold coals came again, and the merchant's
wife was on the point of accompanying her; but the parrot detained her,
promising to finish the story. So the woman went away in anger, and the
parrot continued:

"The princess disguised as a physician journeyed until she came to
another city, and heard a proclamation by the king, that every physician
who passed that way should be forced to visit and attempt to cure his
son. The new physician, too, had to go to court; but could find no
remedy for the severe disease. At night, while sitting at the bedside of
the prince, she heard a loud noise in the next room: went to the door
and saw three old women, who were preparing a banquet. Afterwards they
approached the invalid, anointed him from head to foot, and carried him
healed to the table; then when they were full of wine and merry, they
anointed him again and replaced him on his bed worse than before. The
physician comforted the king, and the second night allowed the witches
to take the prince to the table, then appeared and frightening the old
women with threats of the king's anger drove them from the room and
restored the son to his father. The king, well pleased, wished to
recompense the physician, who would take nothing, and departed."

"But you know, mistress, it is late and I am weary. I will tell you the
rest to-morrow."

The next day the woman who sold coals returned, and the merchant's wife
was on the point of following her; but