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There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep

gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy. Now this fairy

could take any shape she pleased. All the day long she flew about

in the form of an owl, or crept about the country like a cat; but

at night she always became an old woman again. When any young man

came within a hundred paces of her castle, he became quite fixed,

and could not move a step till she came and set him free; which

she would not do till he had given her his word never to come

there again: but when any pretty maiden came within that space

she was changed into a bird, and the fairy put her into a cage,

and hung her up in a chamber in the castle. There were seven

hundred of these cages hanging in the castle, and all with

beautiful birds in them.