Unseen by the witch , the frog 's mother fastened one end of the magic line about her , and whispered to the little boy to hold fast the other . She had scarcely done so when the witch turned round . ` You do n't seem to like your bargain , ' said she ; but the girl answered : ` Oh , yes , I am quite ready . I was only waiting for you ! ' And sitting down she began her slide . On , on , she went , down to such a depth that even the witch 's eyes could not follow her ; but she took for granted that the woman was dead , and told the sister to take her place . At that instant , however , the head of the elder appeared above the rock , brought upwards by the magic line . The witch gave a howl of disgust , and hid her face in her hands ; thus giving the younger sister time to fasten the cord to her waist before the ogress looked up . ` You ca n't expect such luck twice , ' she said ; and the girl sat down and slid over the edge . But in a few minutes she too was back again , and the witch saw that she had failed , and feared lest her power was going . Trembling with rage though she was , she dared not show it , and only laughed hideously . ' I sha 'n' t let my prisoners go as easily as all that ! ' she said . ` Make my hair grow as thick and as black as yours , or else your husbands shall never see daylight again . ' ` That is quite simple , ' replied the elder sister ; ` only you must do as we did -- and perhaps you wo n't like the treatment . ' ` If you can bear it , of course I can , ' answered the witch . And so the girls told her they had first smeared their heads with pitch and then laid hot stones upon them . ` It is very painful , ' said they , ` but there is no other way that we know of . And in order to make sure that all will go right , one of us will hold you down while the other pours on the pitch . ' And so they did ; and the elder sister let down her hair till it hung over the witch 's eyes , so that she might believe it was her own hair growing .
Then the other brought a huge stone , and , XXXXX short , there was an end of the witch .
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