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 Next day the Old Woman said: ‘What is the meaning of this? If you don’t eat or drink you will die.’

He said: ‘I must not, and I will not either eat or drink.’

She put the dish of food and the glass of wine before him, and when the scent of the wine reached him, he could withstand it no longer, and took a good draught.

When the time came he went into the garden and stood on the tan-heap and waited for the Raven. But he was more tired than ever, lay down and slept like a log.

At two o’clock the Raven came, drawn by four black horses, the coach and everything about it was black. She herself was in the deepest mourning, and said: ‘Alas! I know he is asleep.’

She shook him, and called him, but she could not wake him.

Finding her efforts in vain, she placed a loaf beside him, a piece of meat, and a bottle of wine. Then she took a golden ring on which her name was engraved, and put it on his finger. Lastly, she laid a letter by him, saying that the bread, the meat, and the wine were inexhaustible. She also said—

‘I see that you cannot deliver me here, but if you still wish to do so, come to the Golden Castle of Stromberg. I know that it is still in your power.’

Then she seated herself in her coach again, and drove to the Golden Castle of Stromberg.

When the Man woke and found that he had been asleep, his heart grew heavy, and he said: ‘She certainly must have passed, and I have not delivered her.’

Then his eyes fell on the things lying by him, and he read the letter which told him all that had occurred.

So he got up and went away to find the Golden Castle of Stromberg, but he had no idea where to find it.

When he had wandered about for a long time he came to a dark wood whence he could not find his way out.

After walking about in it for a fortnight, he lay down one night under a bush to sleep, for he was very tired. But he