A certain mother’s child had been taken away out of its cradle by the
elves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes, which would
do nothing but eat and drink, laid in its place. In her trouble she
went to her neighbour, and asked her advice. The neighbour said that
she was to carry the changeling into the kitchen, set it down on the
hearth, light a fire, and boil some water in two egg-shells, which
would make the changeling laugh, and if he laughed, all would be over
with him. The woman did everything that her neighbour bade her. When
she put the egg-shells with water on the fire, the imp said, “I am as
old now as the Wester forest, but never yet have I seen any one boil
anything in an egg-shell!” And he began to laugh at it. Whilst he was
laughing, suddenly came a host of little elves, who brought the right
child, set it down on the hearth, and took the changeling away with
them.