Then , as soon as the child saw it , the ball would begin rolling slowly back to the witch , just keeping a little ahead of the child , so that he always thought that he could catch it the next minute . But he never did , and , what was more , his parents never saw him again . Of course you must not suppose that all the fathers and mothers who had lost children made no attempts to find them , but the forest was so large , and the witch was so cunning in knowing exactly where they were going to search , that it was very easy for her to keep out of the way . Besides , there was always the chance that the children might have been eaten by wolves , of which large herds roamed about in winter . One day the old witch happened to want a little boy , so she threw her ball in the direction of the hunters ' huts . 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 XXXXX you want the spirits to make you strong and wise , and the sooner you begin the better . '
Besides So by for from if in into over with