the next night she came again and put the same questions, and the third night also. then the kitchen-boy could bear it no longer, and went to the king and discovered all to him. the king, however, wanted to see it for himself, and next evening went thither, and when the duck thrust her head in through the sink, he took his sword and cut through her neck, and suddenly she changed into a most beautiful maiden, exactly like the picture, which her brother had made of her. the king was full of joy, and as she stood there quite wet, he caused splendid apparel to be brought and had her clothed in it. then she told how she had been betrayed by cunning and falsehood, and at last thrown down into the water, and her first request was that her brother should be brought forth from the pit of snakes, and when the king had fulfilled this request, he went into the chamber where the old witch was, and asked, what does she deserve who does this and that? and related what had happened. then was she so blinded that she was aware of nothing and said, "she deserves to be stripped naked, and put into a barrel with nails, and that a horse should be harnessed to the barrel, and the horse sent all over the world." all of which was done to her, and to her black daughter. but the king married the white and beautiful bride, and rewarded her faithful brother, and made him a rich and distinguished man.