One day she said to her parents: ``I have heard
so much of the old witch that I will go and see
her. People say she is a wonderful old woman,
and has many marvelous things in her house, and
I am very curious to see them.''

But her parents forbade her going, saying:
``The witch is a wicked old woman, who performs
many godless deeds; and if you go near her, you
are no longer a child of ours.''

The girl, however, would not turn back at her
parents' command, but went to the witch's house.
When she arrived there the old woman asked
her:--

``Why are you so pale?''

``Ah,'' she replied, trembling all over, ``I have
frightened myself so with what I have just seen.''

``And what did you see?'' inquired the old
witch.

``I saw a black man on your steps.''

``That was a collier,'' replied she.

``Then I saw a gray man.''

``That was a sportsman,'' said the old woman.

``After him I saw a blood-red man.''

``That was a butcher,'' replied the old woman.

``But, oh, I was most terrified,'' continued the
girl, ``when I peeped through your window, and
saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head.''

``Then you have seen the witch in her proper
dress,'' said the old woman. ``For you I have long
waited, and now you shall give me light.''

So saying the witch changed the little girl into
a block of wood, and then threw it on the fire;
and when it was fully alight, she sat down on the
hearth and warmed herself, saying:--

``How good I feel! The fire has not burned like
this for a long time!''