Then the old man said , ` Here are twelve apples . If your wife eats them , she will have twelve sons . ' The judge thanked him joyfully as he took the apples , and went to seek his wife . ` Eat these apples at once , ' he cried , ` and you will have twelve sons . ' So she sat down and ate eleven of them , but just as she was in the middle of the twelfth her sister came in , and she gave her the half that was left . The eleven sons came into the world , strong and handsome boys ; but when the twelfth was born , there was only half of him . By-and-by they all grew into men , and one day they told their father it was high time he found wives for them . ' I have a brother , ' he answered , ` who lives away in the East , and he has twelve daughters ; go and marry them . ' So the twelve sons saddled their horses and rode for twelve days , till they met an old woman . ` Good greeting to you , young men ! ' said she , ` we have waited long for you , your uncle and I . The girls have become women , and are sought , in marriage by many , but I knew you would come one day , and I have kept them for you . Follow me into my house . ' And the twelve brothers followed her gladly , and their father 's brother stood at the door , and gave them meat and drink . But at night , when every one was asleep , Halfman crept softly to his brothers , and said to them , ` Listen , all of you ! This man is no uncle of ours , but an ogre . ' ` Nonsense ; of course he is our uncle , ' answered they . ` Well , this very night you will see ! ' said Halfman . And he did not go to bed , but hid himself and watched .
Now XXXXX a little while he saw the wife of the ogre steal into the room on tiptoe and spread a red cloth over the brothers and then go and cover her daughters with a white cloth .
If So as at for in into of till to