Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/140

 1 2 S Journal of A merican Folk-Lore.

Then seating herself on the floor at the feet of Maritta, her black hair hanging in tangles about her sharp ugly face, like so many serpents, she continued in this wise : " He has two roosters who are his spies, and you must give them a bushel of corn to pacify them — but I shall steal the corn for you. He also has two oxen ; one is as swift of foot as the wind can blow ; the other can only travel half as fast. You will have to choose the last, as the swift one is too well jruarded for us to reach him. The slower one is tethered just out- side the door. Come ! " she cried to Maritta, who would have held back, "a faint heart will only dwell in Torment." At this thought the poor Maritta roused herself, and summoned all her strength. Her hair had now fallen loose and she was all in tears. But she mounted quickly, looking over her shoulder, to see if he was coming even then. " But dame," cried she, "will he not overtake me, if his ox is so much more fleet of foot than mine ? " " Hold your slippery tongue," replied the hag, " and mark my words. Here is a reticule to hang at your side ; this is a brickbat which I put in the bottom, and on that I place a turkey egg and a goose egg. When you feel the hot steam coming near you, drop the brickbat — for he will soon return, and missing you, will start on your chase, mounted on the ox. As he approaches near, you will feel the heat of his breath like hot steam. When you drop the brickbat a wall will spring up from the earth to the sky ; and the Devil cannot pass it until he tears down every brick, and throws it out of sight. When you feel the hot steam again, drop the turkey egg, and there will come a river ; and when he reaches this river he cannot cross over until his ox drinks all the water. Do the same with the goose egg, and a river will again flow behind you, thus giving ycu more time in which to reach home. Now off with you, and Devil take you, if you don't hold on tight and keep up your spirits. But, hark ye, if he catches you, I will poison you when you come back. At this terrible threat the lovely Maritta was so frightened that she forgot to thank the old hag or say good-by. In the twinkling of an eye the weird-looking creature had raised her mighty arm, and gurgling out a frightful laugh, she lashed the ox with a huge whip. Away he sped, verily as fleet as the wind, with the beautiful lady clinging on, her arms wound around his neck, and her soft face buried in his shaggy hair. On- ward they floated, above the earth, it seemed to Maritta, over hills and plains, through brake and swamp. Just as the lady began to rejoice at being set free, — for it seemed a kind ox, and, after all, it was not so very hard to hold on, as she glided along, — she heard a piercing shriek behind her ; and suddenly a burning hot steam seemed to envelop her. Thinking of the brickbat, in an instant she snatched it from the reticule — almost breaking the eggs in her

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