A child was standing outside , shooting at a mark with his bow and arrows , but the moment he saw the ball , which was made of glass whose blues and greens and whites , all frosted over , kept changing one into the other , he flung down his bow , and stooped to pick the ball up . But as he did so it began to roll very gently downhill . The boy could not let it roll away , when it was so close to him , so he gave chase . The ball seemed always within his grasp , yet he could never catch it ; it went quicker and quicker , and the boy grew more and more excited . That time he almost touched it -- no , he missed it by a hair 's breadth ! Now , surely , if he gave a spring he could get in front of it ! He sprang forward , tripped and fell , and found himself in the witch 's house ! ` Welcome ! welcome ! grandson ! ' said she ; ` get up and rest yourself , for you have had a long walk , and I am sure you must be tired ! ' So the boy sat down , and ate some food which she gave him in a bowl . It was quite different from anything he had tasted before , and he thought it was delicious . When he had eaten up every bit , the witch asked him if he had ever fasted . ` No , ' replied the boy , ` at least I have been obliged to sometimes , but never if there was any food to be had . ' ` You will have to fast if you want the spirits to make you strong and wise , and the sooner you begin the better . ' ` Very well , ' said the boy , ` what do I do first ? ' ` Lie down on those buffalo skins by the door of the hut , ' answered she ; and the boy lay down , and the squirrels and little bears and the birds came and talked to him . At the end of ten days the old woman came to him with a bowl of the same food that he had eaten before . ` Get up , my grandson , you have fasted long enough .
Have the good spirits visited you , and granted you the strength and wisdom XXXXX you desire ? '
So as at in into over that to with within