And sell that hair to some rich
man; but don't let them cheat you, for that hair is worth countless
wealth; and you will thus enrich yourself and maintain your children."
When the poor man awoke, he found everything under his pillow, just as
the child had told him in his sleep; and then he went to the hill. When
there, he found the stream, went on and on alongside of it, till he came
to the fountain-head. Having looked about him to see where the damsel
was, he espied her above a piece of water, like sunbeams threaded on a
needle, and she was embroidering at a frame on stuff, the threads of
which were young men's hair. As soon as he saw her, he made a reverence
to her, and she stood on her feet and questioned him: "Whence are you,
unknown young man?" But he held his tongue. She questioned him again:
"Who are you? Why have you come?" and much else of all sorts; but he was
as mute as a stone, making signs with his hands, as if he were deaf and
wanted help. Then she told him to sit down on her skirt. He did not wait
for any more orders, but sat down, and she bent down her head to him,
that he might examine it. Turning over the hair of her head, as if to
examine it, he was not long in finding that red hair, and separated it
from the other hair, pulled it out, jumped off her skirt and ran away
back as he best could. She noticed it, and ran at his heels full speed
after him.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97