"Your suitors soon will come hence to this place, And all the brides should thus themselves prepare." On hearing this, the youth went back apace, Hid in the kitchen, in the corner there.- The old one took a pot of powder then, And brushed it in their eyes with touches light. Then afterwards they all went out again; Their eyes, enchanted, now were glowing bright.
Bearslayer sought for Spidala at last, But still her form he could not recognize. The pot of powder he had noted fast, And with its contents smeared himself his eyes.- It was as though a veil fell from his sight, And now he saw unblinded, without whims: Still in the cauldron, from the meal that night, There lay the scraps of little children's limbs!
And where he thought a sausage to have seen, Were foul black snakes, boiled squirming in their gore. In that red chamber, where he first had been, Of copper pure were ceiling, walls and floor. And on the block the axe was copper too, Although its use he did not understand.- Of silver pure the second room on view, Both chairs and tables, lanterns, all at hand.
What seemed like stoves were silver chests, he saw, In one gold jewels, the other precious pearls. Still further, gazing through the final door, He saw the ceiling glittered gold in swirls, Of gold the beds between the pillars tall.- Back in the silver room the robes they bore, As in a bath-house, down each witch let fall; Just golden slippers on their feet they wore.
From cupboards now the old one gave the girls Bejewelled broaches, bracelets for their arms, And dressed their hair with softly shining pearls. A wonder to the youth, for with her charms Now Spidala among the witches too, Revealed herself in all her beauty there. Fair were the witches: To his wondering view, They all possessed a devilish beauty rare.
Thus fine adorned they took their robes in hand And to the copper chamber hastened fast, Where round the log they gathered in a band, While Spidala her robe upon it cast. Then, taking up the axe she struck it there, And spoke these words aloud in hissing tone: "Today as first I strike the block full square- Tomorrow to this deed I will not own."
Forth from the log a demon's form was led, Clad as a lord, whom Spidala took hence, They sought the golden room, and chose a bed. The others did the same, and soon from thence With lovers to the other room were gone. Each lordling wore a coat of velvet black, Three-cornered hat and boots that brightly shone, But from their ears small horns grew in the back.