THE WITCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 29

THE WITCH

A RUSSIAN FAIRY UALF Ouc« upon ;*■ time there lived an old man and woman: the old man became a widower and then married anot-her wife. The first wife left with him a daughter. The wicked stepmother did not love his daughter in fact she beat her and thought constantly how she could get rid of her. Now it happened '-no day that the father set off somewhere on a Journey. so the stepmother said to the girl. “Go to your aunt, my sister, and ask her for a needle and thread to make a. shirt for yourself.’* Now this aunt was * witch. Baba Yaga the Bony-legged But the girl was no silly, so she went first to her own aunt by birth. •‘Good day, dear auntie!” * Good day. my dear niece* Why have you come?” “My mother sent me to her sister to ask for needle and thread to sew a shirt for me.” Then her aunt told her exactly what to do. “When you get there, dear niece a birch tree will try to lash you across your eyes—tie it round with ribbon The gates will creak and slam before you—then mind you pour oil over their hinges. The dogs will come to tear you—throw bread to them; a torn cat will try to scratch you—you must gtv«* him liain.” The girl left her own aunt and went away to the witch. There stood the hut and* in it sat Baba Yaga the Bon? legged, weaving. “Good day, aunt!” “Good day, my dear!” “My mother sent me to ask you fv needle 'amd threat to make me a shirt.” “All right! Sit there and weave!’* Then the girl sat down in front of the loom. Baba Yaga w ent away and said to he» servant. “Go and heat the bath and wash my niece, and mind you do ii well. I want to breakfast ©IT her in the morning.” The girl sat stupefied, neither alive nor dead, terrified at everything; but after a while she managed to say t«* the servant, “My dear, you do not wan: ; to burn so much firewood, pour wat**> lon it, and bring the water in a sieve i and she gave her a handkerchief, i Baba Yaga waited a little, then she ‘came to the window and asked, “Art* ! you spinning, niece? Are you spinning. !dear ?” “I am spinning, aunt. I am spinning ! dear.” Baba Yaga went away. Then the girl gave the cat some ham and asked, j “Can I possibly get away from here?” “There is your comb and tow*el,” said i the cat. “Take them and run. Baba jYaga will pursue you; but bend your 5 ear close to the ground, and when you hear that she is near, throw first the towel; it will become a broad, broad I river. If Baba Yaga gets across the i river and continues to pursue you, put j your ear to the ground again, and ! when you hear that she is near, throw j the comb—it will change into a. dense i forest, through wiilch she cannot push j her way. The girl took the towel and comb and ! ran out. The dogs sought to tear hei ! —she threw them bread and they let : her pass; the gates attempted to shu* with a bang and trap her—she poured oil on their hinges and they let her through: the birch tree tried to lash her eyes—she tied it round with ribbon and it let her pass and go on her journey. Meanwhile, the cat sat before thr loom to weave. It tangled the thread more than weaving properly. Baba Yaga came to the window and asked ‘ Aro you weaving, niece? Are you weaving, dear?” “I’m weaving, aunt. I’m weaving, dear,” answered the cat rudely. The witch rushed into the hut. saw that the girl was gone and began to be*at tiie cat and abuse him for not scratching the girl's eyes. “I have served you many years,” said the cat. “You give me not even bones, but she gave me ham.” Baba Yaga rushed to the dogs, to the gate, to the birch tree, to the servant and began to scold and beat them. The dogs said. “We served you so I much, yet you do not even throw us j burnt crusts; she gave us soft bread.’ : The gates said. “For all the years we j have served you. you did not even pour j water on us—but she poured oil over ; our hinges.” The birch tree said. “I , have served you so many years, vet S you never tied a thread on me—but eh*- ! tied a ribbon.” The servant said. “I i have served you many years, but you never gave me a rag—she gave me a [ handkerchief.” Baba Yaga the Bony-legged rat quickly in her rnortar. set it going with | the pestle and swept the track in fron* ’ with her broom, and so hastened to * catch the girl. The girl, however, putting her ear to j tho ground, heard her coming near. »*• she took her towel and threw ft behind her. It became a broad river. Tho witch came to the river and gnashed her teeth with rage. *3h« j went home again, took her bulls an*: drove them to the river. They drank up the water to the last drop. Then she i set off again in pursuit. The girl put her ear to the ground, and hearing he* near, threw the comb. There appeared a forest so dense that it was frightful The witch tried her hardest to get ; through, even by gnawing it; but ahcould not do so. so she gave it up ar.c went back. , Xow the young girls father arrived home and here on | earth is my daughter ' “She has gone to her aunt, said the | stepmother. , _ , 1 There was not long to wait before : the girl ran home. j “Where have you been ’ asked lier i father. ... .. , ... »*Ah! father. e said I did i So and So. My mother sent me to my aunt to ask for a needle and thread jto sew me a shirt but my aunt. Bab . I Yaga, wanted to eat me.” S “How did you get away, lilt!* daughter ?” “I did This and That.*' related the ! girl. The father. when he found oui everything, grew so angry with hiw wife that he shot her; but he and hi» daughter lived happily ever after.