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THE WITCH ＇28＇
＇28＇ From the Russian。
Once upon a time there was a peasant whose wife died； leaving him
with two childrentwinsa boy and a girl。 For some years the
poor man lived on alone with the children； caring for them as
best he could； but everything in the house seemed to go wrong
without a woman to look after it； and at last he made up his mind
to marry again； feeling that a wife would bring peace and order
to his household and take care of his motherless children。 So he
married； and in the following years several children were born to
him； but peace and order did not come to the household。 For the
step…mother was very cruel to the twins； and beat them； and
half…starved them； and constantly drove them out of the house；
for her one idea was to get them out of the way。 All day she
thought of nothing but how she should get rid of them； and at
last an evil idea came into her head； and she determined to send
them out into the great gloomy wood where a wicked witch lived。
And so one morning she spoke to them； saying：
'You have been such good children that I am going to send you to
visit my granny； who lives in a dear little hut in the wood。 You
will have to wait upon her and serve her； but you will be well
rewarded； for she will give you the best of everything。'
So the children left the house together； and the little sister；
who was very wise for her years； said to the brother：
'We will first go and see our own dear grandmother； and tell her
where our step…mother is sending us。'
And when the grandmother heard where they were going； she cried
and said：
'You poor motherless children！ How I pity you； and yet I can do
nothing to help you！ Your step…mother is not sending you to her
granny； but to a wicked witch who lives in that great gloomy
wood。 Now listen to me； children。 You must be civil and kind to
everyone； and never say a cross word to anyone； and never touch a
crumb belonging to anyone else。 Who knows if； after all； help
may not be sent to you？'
And she gave her grandchildren a bottle of milk and a piece of
ham and a loaf of bread； and they set out for the great gloomy
wood。 When they reached it they saw in front of them； in the
thickest of the trees； a queer little hut； and when they looked
into it； there lay the witch； with her head on the threshold of
the door； with one foot in one corner and the other in the other
corner； and her knees cocked up； almost touching the ceiling。
'Who's there？' she snarled； in an awful voice； when she saw the
children。
And they answered civilly； though they were so terrified that
they hid behind one another； and said：
'Good…morning； granny； our step…mother has sent us to wait upon
you； and serve you。'
'See that you do it well； then；' growled the witch。 'If I am
pleased with you； I'll reward you； but if I am not； I'll put you
in a pan and fry you in the oventhat's what I'll do with you；
my pretty dears！ You have been gently reared； but you'll find my
work hard enough。 See if you don't。'
And； so saying； she set the girl down to spin yarn； and she gave
the boy a sieve in which to carry water from the well； and she
herself went out into the wood。 Now； as the girl was sitting at
her distaff； weeping bitterly because she could not spin； she
heard the sound of hundreds of little feet； and from every hole
and corner in the hut mice came pattering along the floor；
squeaking and saying：
'Little girl； why are your eyes so red？
If you want help； then give us some bread。'
And the girl gave them the bread that her grandmother had given
her。 Then the mice told her that the witch had a cat； and the
cat was very fond of ham； if she would give the cat her ham； it
would show her the way out of the wood； and in the meantime they
would spin the yarn for her。 So the girl set out to look for the
cat； and； as she was hunting about； she met her brother； in great
trouble because he could not carry water from the well in a
sieve； as it came pouring out as fast as he put it in。 And as
she was trying to comfort him they heard a rustling of wings； and
a flight of wrens alighted on the ground beside them。 And the
wrens said：
'Give us some crumbs； then you need not grieve。
For you'll find that water will stay in the sieve。'
Then the twins crumbled their bread on the ground； and the wrens
pecked it； and chirruped and chirped。 And when they had eaten
the last crumb they told the boy to fill up the holes of the
sieve with clay； and then to draw water from the well。 So he did
what they said； and carried the sieve full of water into the hut
without spilling a drop。 When they entered the hut the cat was
curled up on the floor。 So they stroked her； and fed her with
ham； and said to her：
'Pussy； grey pussy； tell us how we are to get away from the
witch？'
Then the cat thanked them for the ham； and gave them a pocket…
handkerchief and a comb； and told them that when the witch
pursued them； as she certainly would； all they had to do was to
throw the handkerchief on the ground and run as fast as they
could。 As soon as the handkerchief touched the ground a deep；
broad river would spring up； which would hinder the witch's
progress。 If she managed to get across it； they must throw the
comb behind them and run for their lives； for where the comb fell
a dense forest would start up； which would delay the witch so
long that they would be able to get safely away。
The cat had scarcely finished speaking when the witch returned to
see if the children had fulfilled their tasks。
'Well； you have done well enough for to…day；' she grumbled； 'but
to…morrow you'll have something more difficult to do； and if you
don't do it well； you pampered brats； straight into the oven you
go。'
Half…dead with fright； and trembling in every limb； the poor
children lay down to sleep on a heap of straw in the corner of
the hut； but they dared not close their eyes； and scarcely
ventured to breathe。 In the morning the witch gave the girl two
pieces of linen to weave before night； and the boy a pile of wood
to cut into chips。 Then the witch left them to their tasks； and
went out into the wood。 As soon as she had gone out of sight the
children took the comb and the handkerchief； and； taking one
another by the hand； they started and ran； and ran； and ran。 And
first they met the watch…dog； who was going to leap on them and
tear them to pieces； but they threw the remains of their bread to
him； and he ate them and wagged his tail。 Then they were
hindered by the birch…trees； whose branches almost put their eyes
out。 But the little sister tied the twigs together with a piece
of ribbon； and they got past safely； and； after running through
the wood； came out on to the open fields。
In the meantime in the hut the cat was busy weaving the linen and
tangling the threads as it wove。 And the witch returned to see
how the children were getting on； and she crept up to the window；
and whispered：
'Are you weaving； my little dear？'
'Yes； granny； I am weaving；' answered the cat。
When the witch saw that the children had escaped her； she was
furious； and； hitting the cat with a porringer； she said： 'Why
did you let the children leave the hut？ Why did you not scratch
their eyes out？'
But the cat curled up its tail and put its back up； and answered：
'I have served you all these years and you never even threw me a
bone； but the dear children gave me their own piece of ham。'
Then the witch was furious with the watch…dog and with the
birch…trees； because they had let the children pass。 But the dog
answered：
'I have served you all these years and you never gave me so much
as a hard crust； but the dear children gave me their own loaf of
bread。'
And the birch rustled its leaves； and said： 'I have s