Put her in the coach and take her with us . ' So in this fashion the old woman was brought to court . ` You have declared that you can bring hither the maiden from the wood ? ' said the emperor , who was seated on his throne . ` Yes , your Majesty , and I will keep my word , ' said she . ` Then bring her at once , ' said the emperor . ` Give me first a kettle and a tripod , ' asked the old w omen , and the emperor ordered them to be brought instantly . The old woman picked them up , and tucking them under her arm went on her way , keeping at a little distance behind the royal huntsmen , who in their turn followed the prince . Oh , what a noise that old woman made as she walked along ! She chattered to herself so fast and clattered her kettle so loudly that you would have thought that a whole campful of gipsies must be coming round the next corner . But when they reached the forest , she bade them all wait outside , and entered the dark wood by herself . She stopped underneath the tree where the maiden dwelt and , gathering some dry sticks , kindled a fire . Next , she placed the tripod over it , and the kettle on top . But something was the matter with the kettle . As fast as the old woman put it where it was to stand , that kettle was sure to roll off , falling to the ground with a crash . It really seemed bewitched , and no one knows what might have happened if Wildrose , who had been all the time peeping out of her nest , had not lost patience at the old woman 's stupidity , and cried out : ` The tripod wo n't stand on that hill , you must move it ! ' ` But where am I to move it to , my child ? ' asked the old woman , looking up to the nest , and at the same moment trying to steady the kettle with one hand and the tripod with the other . ` Did n't I tell you that it was no good doing that , ' said Wildrose , more impatiently than before . ` Make a fire near a tree and hang the kettle from one of the branches . '
The old woman took the kettle and hung it XXXXX a little twig , which broke at once , and the kettle fell to the ground .
as at by from if near on over than that