The poor wife told her all that had happened and how she had been told in a dream of the witch 's power to help her . The witch counselled her to go to the pond the first time there was a full moon , and to comb her black hair with a golden comb , and then to place the comb on the bank . The hunter 's wife gave the witch a handsome present , thanked her heartily , and returned home . Time dragged heavily till the time of the full moon , but it passed at last , and as soon as it rose the young wife went to the pond , combed her black hair with a golden comb , and when she had finished , placed the comb on the bank ; then she watched the water impatiently . Soon she heard a rushing sound , and a big wave rose suddenly and swept the comb off the bank , and a minute after the head of her husband rose from the pond and gazed sadly at her . But immediately another wave came , and the head sank back into the water without having said a word . The pond lay still and motionless , glittering in the moonshine , and the hunter 's wife was not a bit better off than she had been before . In despair she wandered about for days and nights , and at last , worn out by fatigue , she sank once more into a deep sleep , and dreamt exactly the same dream about the old witch . So next morning she went again to the flowery meadow and sought the witch in her hut , and told her of her grief . The old woman counselled her to go to the mill-pond the next full moon and play upon a golden flute , and then to lay the flute on the bank . As soon as the next moon was full the hunter 's wife went to the mill-pond , played on a golden flute , and when she had finished placed it on the bank . Then a rushing sound was heard , and a wave swept the flute off the bank , and soon the head of the hunter appeared and rose up higher and higher till he was half out of the water . Then he gazed sadly at his wife and stretched out his arms towards her . But another rushing wave arose and dragged him under once more . The hunter 's wife , who had stood on the bank full of joy and hope , sank into despair when she saw her husband snatched away again before her eyes . But for her comfort she dreamt the same dream a third time , and betook herself once more to the old witch 's hut in the flowery meadow . This time the old woman told her to go the next full moon to the mill-pond , and to spin there with a golden spinning-wheel , and then to leave the spinning-wheel on the bank . The hunter 's wife did as she was advised , and the first night the moon was full she sat and spun with a golden spinning-wheel , and then left the wheel on the bank . In a few minutes a rushing sound was heard in the waters , and a wave swept the spinning-wheel from the bank . Immediately the head of the hunter rose up from the pond , getting higher and higher each moment , till at length he stepped on to the bank and fell on his wife 's neck .
But the waters XXXXX the pond rose up suddenly , overflowed the bank where the couple stood , and dragged them under the flood .
In after at before of on till to towards without