The youth ran to look at it , and saw that a huge abyss had opened below the stone . He went at once to fetch his brothers , and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and ropes to the spot . They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the end of the rope , and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss . At first it was quite dark , and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey stone walls . But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss , and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom . Here he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers . In the middle of the meadow stood a huge stone castle , with an iron gate leading to it , which was wide open . Everything in the castle seemed to be made of copper , and the only inhabitant he could discover was a lovely girl , who was combing her golden hair ; and he noticed that whenever one of her hairs fell on the ground it rang out like pure metal . The youth looked at her more closely , and saw that her skin was smooth and fair , her blue eyes bright and sparkling , and her hair as golden as the sun . He fell in love with her on the spot , and kneeling at her feet , he implored her to become his wife . The lovely girl accepted his proposal gladly ; but at the same time she warned him that she could never come up to the world above till her mother , the old witch , was dead . And she went on to tell him that the only way in which the old creature could be killed was with the sword that hung up in the castle ; but the sword was so heavy that no one could lift it . Then the youth went into a room in the castle where everything was made of silver , and here he found another beautiful girl , the sister of his bride . She was combing her silver hair , and every hair that fell on the ground rang out like pure metal . The second girl handed him the sword , but though he tried with all his strength he could not lift it . At last a third sister came to him and gave him a drop of something to drink , which she said would give him the needful strength . He drank one drop , but still he could not lift the sword ; then he drank a second , and the sword began to move ; but only after he had drunk a third drop was he able to swing the sword over his head . Then he hid himself in the castle and awaited the old witch 's arrival . At last as it was beginning to grow dark she appeared . She swooped down upon a big apple-tree , and after shaking some golden apples from it , she pounced down upon the earth .
As soon XXXXX her feet touched the ground she became transformed from a hawk into a woman .
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