صفحة 222 من 626

'I went on through the house from room to room, but they were all

empty, and everything was so grim and mysterious. At last I went

down to the cellar, and there sat a very, very old woman, who

could not keep her head still. I asked her if my betrothed lived

here, and she answered, "Ah, you poor child, you are come to a

murderers' den; your betrothed does indeed live here, but he will

kill you without mercy and afterwards cook and eat you."'

'My darling, this is only a dream.'

'The old woman hid me behind a large cask, and scarcely had she

done this when the robbers returned home, dragging a young girl

along with them. They gave her three kinds of wine to drink,

white, red, and yellow, and with that she died.'

'My darling, this is only a dream.'

'Then they tore off her dainty clothing, and cut her beautiful

body into pieces and sprinkled salt upon it.'

'My darling, this is only a dream.'