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Rh "It is not sharp enough," he said, and began to sharpen it until its edge was keen enough to cleave ebony.

Then he called up the hill to the witch.

"Kaidurum (old woman), here is fish for thee," he cried.

But the witch feared to venture down, therefore she called back, "Tell thy wife to bring it hither."

"Nay," lied the man, "but her foot is sore. Do thou come."

The witch longed for the fish, and at last hunger overcame her fears, and she came down. Now when she reached the doorway she looked in before entering, so that she might run up the hill if harm were meant.

But the man awaited her inside, and as soon as the witch's head appeared he brought his stone axe down with great force on her neck. Then she fell to the ground, and much blood was shed.

"I have taken vengeance!" cried the man, and he caught the old woman's body in his arms and ran up the hill to her house. He entered, and laid her down on her own mat. Then with his axe he cut down every post, and the house lay in ruins over the body of the witch. But not for long, for the man seized a burning piece of wood and set fire to the corners of the house, and the flames of it rose to the sky. So did the witch perish and become ashes at the hand of the man whose son she had slain.