The mother gave her a blessing and half a bannock, and she set out.
She traveled away and away on before her, far farther than I could tell
you, and twice as far as you could tell me, until she came into a
strange country, and going up to a little house, she found an old Hag
living in it. The Hag asked her where she was going. She said she was
going to push her fortune.
Said the Hag: "How would you like to stay here with me, for I want a
maid?"
"What will I have to do?" said she.
"You'll have to wash me and dress me, and sweep the hearth clean; and on
the peril of your life never look up the chimney," said the Hag.
"All right," she agreed to this.
The next day when the Hag arose, she washed her and dressed her, and
when the Hag went out she swept the hearth, and she thought it would do
no harm to have one wee look up the chimney, and there, what did she see
but her own mother's long leather bag of gold and silver! So she took it
down at once, and getting it on her back, started away for home as fast
as she could run.
When she got to the horse, the horse said: "Rub me! Rub me! for I
haven't been rubbed these seven years."
"Oh, poor horse, poor horse," she said, "I'll surely do that." And she
laid down her bag and rubbed the horse.
Then she went on, and it wasn't long before she met the sheep, who said:
"Oh, shear me! Shear me! for I haven't been shorn these seven years."
"Oh, poor sheep, poor sheep," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she
laid down the bag and sheared the sheep.
On she went till she met the goat who said: "Oh, change my tether!
Change my tether! for it hasn't been changed these seven years."
"Oh, poor goat, poor goat," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she
laid down the bag and changed the goat's tether.
Then she went on till she met the limekiln. The limekiln said: "Oh,
clean me! Clean me! for I haven't been cleaned these seven years."
"Oh, poor limekiln, poor limekiln," she said, "I'll surely do that," and
she laid down the bag and cleaned the limekiln.
Then she went on and met the cow. The cow said: "Oh, milk me! Milk me!
for I haven't been milked these seven years."
"Oh, poor cow, poor cow," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she laid
down the bag and milked the cow.
At last she reached the mill. The mill said: "Oh, turn me! Turn me! for
I haven't been turned these seven years."
"Oh, poor mill, poor mill," she said, "I'll surely do that," and she
turned the mill too.
As night was on her she went in and lay down behind the mill door to
sleep.
When the Hag came into her hut again and found the girl gone, she ran to
the chimney to see if she had carried off the bag. She flew into a great
rage, and started to run as fast as she could after her.
She had not gone far until she came up to the horse and said: "Oh,
horse, horse of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with
my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have
earned since I was a maid?"
The horse said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids
for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information."
Then she came upon the sheep. "Oh, sheep, sheep of mine, have you seen
this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag,
and all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?"
The sheep said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids
for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information."
Then she went on till she met the goat. "Oh, goat, goat of mine, have
you seen this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long
leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a
maid?"
The goat said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids
for you? You can go somewhere else and look for information."
Then she went on till she came to the limekiln. "Oh, limekiln, limekiln
of mine, did you see this maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with
my long leather bag, and all the gold and silver I have earned since I
was a maid?"
Said the limekiln: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your
maids for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information."
Next she met the cow. "Oh, cow, cow of mine, have you seen this maid of
mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and all the
gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?"
The cow said: "Do you think I have nothing to do but watch your maids
for you? You may go somewhere else and look for information."
Then she got to the mill. "Oh, mill, mill of mine, have you seen this
maid of mine, with my tig, with my tag, with my long leather bag, and
all the gold and silver I have earned since I was a maid?"