And so they did , till they got to about the middle of the lake , when the frog boy stopped . ' I do n't like it , and I wo n't go any further , ' cried he sulkily . And his mother had to promise him all sorts of nice things before he would go on again . When at last they reached the other side , the owl 's wife untied the line from the frog 's mouth and told him he might rest and play by the lake till they got back from the forest . Then she and her sister and the boy walked on , with the great forest looming before them . But they had by this time come far and were very tired , and felt glad enough to see some smoke curling up from a little hut in front of them . ` Let us go in and ask for some water , ' said the eagle 's wife ; and in they went . The inside of the hut was so dark that at first they could see nothing at all ; but presently they heard a feeble croak from one corner . But sisters turned to look , and there , tied by wings and feet , and their eyes sunken , were the husbands that they sought . Quick as lightning the wives cut the deer-thongs which bound them ; but the poor birds were too weak from pain and starvation to do more than utter soft sounds of joy . Hardly , however , were they set free , than a voice of thunder made the two sisters jump , while the little boy clung tightly round his mother 's neck . ` What are you doing in my house ? ' cried she . And the wives answered boldly that now they had found their husbands they meant to save them from such a wicked witch . ` Well , I will give you your chance , ' answered the ogress , with a hideous grin ; ` we will see if you can slide down this mountain . If you can reach the bottom of the cavern , you shall have your husbands back again . ' And as she spoke she pushed them before her out of the door to the edge of a precipice , which went straight down several hundreds of feet . 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 XXXXX you ! '
about at before for so than that till to with