e a little way when she heard the witch-woman coming after her
on her broomstick. Now the apple tree she had helped to stand straight
happened to be quite close; so she ran to it and cried:

"Apple tree! Apple tree, hide me
So the old witch can't find me,
For if she does she'll pick my bones,
And bury me under the garden stones."

Then the apple tree said, "Of course I will. You helped me to stand
straight, and one good turn deserves another."

So the apple tree hid her finely in its green branches; and when the
witch flew past saying:

"Tree of mine! O Tree of mine!
Have you seen my naughty little maid
With a willy willy wag and a great big bag,
She's stolen my money--all I had?"

The apple tree answered:

"No, mother dear,
Not for seven year!"

So the witch flew on the wrong way, and the girl got down, thanked the
tree politely, and started again. But just as she got to where the cow
was standing beside the pail, she heard the witch coming again, so she
ran to the cow and cried:

"Cow! Cow, please hide me
So the witch can't find me;
If she does she'll pick my bones,
And bury me under the garden stones!"

"Certainly I will," answered the cow. "Didn't you milk me and make me
comfortable? Hide yourself behind me and you'll be quite safe."

And when the witch flew by and called to the cow:

"O Cow of mine! Cow of mine!
Have you seen my naughty little maid
With a willy willy wag and a great big bag,
Who stole my money--all that I had?"

She just said politely:

"No, mother dear,
Not for seven year!"

Then the old witch went on in the wrong direction, and the girl started
afresh on her way home; but just as she got to where the oven stood, she
heard that horrid old witch coming behind her again; so she ran as fast
as she could to the oven and cried:

"O Oven! Oven! hide me
So as the witch can't find me,
For if she does she'll pick my bones,
And bury them under the garden stones."

Then the oven said, "I am afraid there is no room for you, as another
batch of bread is baking; but there is the baker--ask him."

So she asked the baker, and he said, "Of course I will. You saved my
last batch from being burnt; so run into the bakehouse, you will be
quite safe there, and I will settle the witch for you."

So she hid in the bakehouse, only just in time, for there was the old
witch calling angrily:

"O Man of mine! Man of mine!
H