The Old House in the Wood

There was once a sparrow with his young son in a wallow’s nest. A storm fledged, but fortunately the bird got safely away in the high wind and took with him his faithful son. Now they had gone out into the world, and when darkness overtook them they could no longer find shelter, and knew not where to pass the night.

Then the sparrow saw a fox who was going towards the wood, and when he came nearer he saw that the fox looked trustworthy. He spoke to the fox, and said, “Dear fox, can I and my son find shelter for the night in these woods?” - “Oh, yes,” said the fox, “That you certainly can, but I do not advise you to venture it. Do not go in.” - “Why not?” Asked the sparrow’s son. The fox sighed and said, “A witch practices wicked arts; she is ill-disposed toward strangers.” The the sparrow saw very well in the wood the house of a witch, but because it was dark, and he had his son with him, and also he was not afraid, he entered the house in the wood.

The witch was sitting in a chair by the fire, and looked at the sparrow with her red eyes. “Good evening,” growled she, and pretended to be friendly. “Spend the night and rest.” She puffed up the fire on which she was cooking a hot meal. The sparrow warned his son to be prudent, to eat nothing, and drink nothing, for the witch brews evil drinks. They slept quietly until early in the morning, when they made their departure. Then the old witch said, “Stop. I will first hand you a parting draught.” Whilst she fetched it, the sparrow waved his son to fly away, and he buckled his knees tight, and the witch came with the drink. “Take that.” Said she, but the glass broke and poison spirited out, and it was so strong that the sparrow fell down dead.

The sparrow’s son flew home and found a master and told him what had happed, but the master would not leave after the storm that had brewed, so the son flew back to the wood’s to fetch his father. When, however, he came to the wood a huntsman was sitting on a horse pulling a dead sparrow behind it. “Who knows when we shall find anything more today?” Said the huntsman; and when he saw the sparrow’s son, he took it; so he killed the young sparrow.

And now the huntsman and the horse journeyed onwards into the forest the whole day, but could not get out of it. By nightfall they found the witch’s house. There was no one else in the house but the witch’s step-daughter, who was honest, and had taken no part in the godless deeds of the witch. She opened the door to the huntsman and showed him some of their treasures, but the huntsman said she might keep everything, he would have none of it, and rode onwards.