` Take them ! ' said the uncle ; ` the eldest for the eldest , the second for the second , and so on to the youngest . ' But the wife of Halfman was the prettiest of them all , and the other brothers were jealous and said to each other : ` What , is he who is only half a man to get the best ? Let us put him to death and give his wife to our eldest brother ! ' And they waited for a chance . After they had all ridden , in company with their brides , for some distance , they arrived at a brook , and one of them asked , ` Now , who will go and fetch water from the brook ? ' ` Halfman is the youngest , ' said the elder brother , ` he must go . ' So Halfman got down and filled a skin with water , and they drew it up by a rope and drank . When they had done drinking , Halfman , who was standing in the middle of the stream , called out : ` Throw me the rope and draw me up , for I can not get out alone . ' And the brothers threw him a rope to draw him up the steep bank ; but when he was half-way up they cut the rope , and he fell back into the stream . Then the brothers rode away as fast as they could , with his bride . Halfman sank down under the water from the force of the fall , but before he touched the bottom a fish came and said to him , ` Fear nothing , Halfman ; I will help you . ' And the fish guided him to a shallow place , so that he scrambled out . On the way it said to him , ` Do you understand what your brothers , whom you saved from death , have done to you ? ' ` Yes ; but what am I to do ? ' asked Halfman . ` Take one of my scales , ' said the fish , ` and when you find yourself in danger , throw it in the fire . Then I will appear before you . ' ` Thank you , ' said Halfman , and went his way , while the fish swam back to its home . The country was strange to Halfman , and he wandered about without knowing where he was going , till he suddenly found the ogress standing before him .
` Ah , XXXXX , have I got you at last ?
Halfman bottom fire fish force home middle scales second water