! she was off with it in a moment, and ran and ran till she came to
the apple tree, when she heard the witch-woman behind her. So she cried
as her sister had done:
"Apple tree! Apple tree, hide me
So the old witch can't find me,
For if she does she'll break my bones,
Or bury me under the garden stones."
But the apple tree said:
"No room here! I've too many apples."
So she had to run on; and when the witch-woman on her broomstick came
flying by and called:
"O Tree of mine! Tree of mine!
Have you seen a naughty little maid
With a willy willy wag and a great big bag,
Who's stolen my money--all I had?"
The apple tree replied:
"Yes, mother dear,
She's gone down there."
Then the witch-woman went after her, caught her, gave her a thorough
good beating, took the bag of money away from her, and sent her home
without a penny payment for all her dusting, and sweeping, and brushing,
and cleaning.
[Illustration: Headpiece--The Laidly Worm]
THE LAIDLY WORM
In Bamborough Castle there once lived a King who had two children, a son
named Childe Wynde, and a daughter who was called May Margret. Their
mother, a fair woman, was dead, and the King mourned her long and
faithfully. But, after his son Childe Wynde went to seek his fortune,
the King, hunting in the forest, came across a lady of such great beauty
that he fell in love with her at once and determined to marry her.
Now Princess May Margret was not over-pleased to think that her mother's
place should be taken by a strange woman, nor was she pleased to think
that she would have to give up keeping house for her father the King.
For she had always taken a pride in her work. But she said nothing,
though she stood long on the castle walls looking out across the sea
wishing for her dear brother's return; for, see you, they had mothered
each other.
Still no news came of Childe Wynde; so on the day when the old King was
to bring the new Queen home, May Margret counted over the keys of the
castle chambers, knotted them on a string, and after casting them over
her left shoulder for luck--more for her father's sake than for the new
Queen's regard--she stood at the castle gate ready to hand over the keys
to her stepmother.
Now as the bridal procession approached with all the lords of the north
countrie, and some of the Scots lords in attendance, she looked so fair
and so sweet, that the lords whispered to one another of her b
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