thecametoamillwhosemiller,atalkingfox,said,"Yes,IknowwholovelyBargaglinais,butyoullhavedifficultyfindingher.Walkstraightaheaduntilyoucometoahousewiththedooropen.Goinsideandyoullseeacrystalcagehungwithmanylittlebells.Inthecagearethesingingapples.Youmusttakethecage,butwatchoutforacertainoldwoman.Ifhereyesareopen,thatmeansshesasleep.Iftheyreclosed,shessurelyawake."
Theshepherdmovedon.Hefoundtheoldwomanwithhereyesclosedandrealizedshewasawake."Mylad,"saidtheoldwoman,"glancedowninmyhairandseeifIveanylice."
Helooked,andashewasdelousingher,sheopenedhereyesandheknewshehadfallenasleep.Sohequicklypickedupthecrystalcageandfled.Butthelittlebellsonthecagetinkled,andtheoldwomanawakenedandsentahundredhorsemenafterhim.Hearingthemalmostuponhim,theshepherddroppedthestonehehadinhispocket.Itchangedinstantlyintoasteep,rockymountain,andthehorsesallfellandbroketheirlegs.
Nowhorseless,thecavalrymenreturnedtotheoldwoman,whothensentouttwohundredmountedsoldiers.Seeinghimselfinnewperil,theshepherdthrewdowntheivorycomb.Itturnedintoamountainasslickasglass,downwhichhorsesandridersallslidtotheirdeath.
Theoldwomanthensentthreehundredhorsemenafterhim,buthepulledoutthepocketfuloffog,hurleditoverhisshoulder,andthearmygotlostinit.Meanwhile,theshepherdhadgrownthirstyand,havingnothingwithhimtodrink,removedoneofthethreeapplesfromthecageandcutintoit.Atinyvoicesaid,"Gently,please,oryoullhurtme."Gently,hefinishedcuttingtheapple,ateonehalf,andputtheotherinhispocket.Atlengthhecametoawellnearhishouse,wherehereachedintohispocketfortherestoftheapple.Initsplacewasatiny,tinylady.
"ImlovelyBargaglina,"shesaid,"andIlikecake.Gogetmeacake,Imfamished."
Thewellwasoneofthoseclosedwells,withaholeinthecenter,sotheshepherdseatedtheladyontherim,tellinghertowaitthereuntilhecamebackwiththecake.
Meanwhile,aservantknownasUglySlavecametothewellforwater.Shespiedthelovelylittleladyandsaid,"HowcomeyouresolittleandbeautifulwhileImsobigandugly?"Andshegrewsofuriousthatshethrewthetinycreatureintothewell.
Theshepherdreturnedandwasheartbrok
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