And further yet there led another door.-
Into this open chamber, without miss,
The witches went with bowls of meat, he saw.
Horrors are revealed
Bearslayer followed silently behind,
And through the door he saw a chamber bright,
With pallid chairs and tables it was lined,
And all the walls were of a colour light.
Two stoves of like pale colour at one side,
One glowed with coals, and one held beans of white.
The witches at their meal he here espied;
Who ate in deathly silence every bite.
Again, a door a lofty room clear showed,
Where vaulted ceilings stood on pillars tall,
And all the room with golden colour glowed;
Inside the room he saw twelve beds in all.-
The sated witches each removed her dish,
Cleared up the table, swept the bones from view.
"Into the kitchen," was the old one's wish,
"And sharpened sight my spells will give to you."
"Your suitors soon will come hence to this place,
And all the brides should thus themselves prepare."
On hearing this, the youth went back apace,
Hid in the kitchen, in the corner there.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82