Then she can do no more hurt to anyone . ' ` We can not kill her , ' answered they ; ` if we did , our son would assuredly kill us . Let us do as the others did , and put her out of the town . And with this the envious brother was forced to be content . The poor girl loved her husband very much , but just then the baby was more to her than all else in the world , and as long as she had him with her , she did not very much mind anything . So , taking her son on her arm , and hanging a little earthen pot for cooking round her neck , she left her house with its great peacock fans and slaves and seats of ivory , and plunged into the forest . For a while she walked , not knowing whither she went , then by and bye she grew tired , and sat under a tree to rest and to hush her baby to sleep . Suddenly she raised her eyes , and saw a snake wriggling from under the bushes towards her . ' I am a dead woman , ' she said to herself , and stayed quite still , for indeed she was too frightened to move . In another minute the snake had reached her side , and to her surprise he spoke . ` Open your earthen pot , and let me go in . Save me from sun , and I will save you from rain , ' and she opened the pot , and when the snake had slipped in , she put on the cover . Soon she beheld another snake coming after the other one , and when it had reached her it stopped and said , ` Did you see a small grey snake pass this way just now ? ' ` Yes , ' she answered , ` it was going very quickly . ' ` Ah , I must hurry and catch it up , ' replied the second snake , and it hastened on . When it was out of sight , a voice from the pot said : ` Uncover me , ' and she lifted the lid , and the little grey snake slid rapidly to the ground . ' I am safe now , ' he said . ` But tell me , where are you going ? ' ' I can not tell you , for I do not know , ' she answered . ' I am just wandering in the wood . '
` Follow me , and let us go home together , ' said the snake , and the girl followed his through the forest and along the green paths , till they came to a great lake , where they stopped XXXXX rest .
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