Then thought the Hunter , ` The cabbage must have already begun to work . ' And he said , ' I will go to the kitchen and fetch it myself . ' When he came there he saw the two donkeys running about in the courtyard , but the salad was lying on the ground . ` That 's all right , ' said he ; ` two have had their share ! ' And lifting the remaining leaves up , he laid them on the dish and brought them to the maiden . ' I am bringing you the delicious food my own self , ' he said , ` so that you need not wait any longer . ' Then she ate , and , as the others had done , she at once lost her human form , and ran as a donkey into the yard . When the Hunter had washed his face , so that the changed ones might know him , he went into the yard , saying , ` Now you shall receive a reward for your faithlessness . ' He tied them all three with a rope , and drove them away till he came to a mill . He knocked at the window , and the miller put his head out and asked what he wanted . ' I have three tiresome animals , ' he answered , ` which I do n't want to keep any longer . If you will take them , give them food and stabling , and do as I tell you with them , I will pay you as much as you want . ' The miller replied , ` Why not ? What shall I do with them ? ' Then the Hunter said that to the old donkey , which was the witch , three beatings and one meal ; to the younger one , which was the servant , one beating and three meals ; and to the youngest one , which was the maiden , no beating and three meals ; for he could not find it in his heart to let the maiden be beaten . Then he went back into the castle , and he found there all that he wanted . After a couple of days the miller came and said that he must tell him that the old donkey which was to have three beatings and only one meal had died . ` The two others , ' he added , ` are certainly not dead , and get their three meals every day , but they are so sad that they can not last much longer . ' Then the Hunter took pity on them , laid aside his anger , and told the miller to drive them back again . And when they came he gave them some of the good cabbage to eat , so that they became human again .
Then the beautiful maiden fell XXXXX her knees before him , saying , ` Oh , my dearest , forgive me the ill I have done you !
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