" When they came to the next, the little
sister heard it say, "Who drinks of me will become a wolf; who drinks
of me will become a wolf!" and cried out, "Oh brother, I pray thee do
not drink, lest thou become a wolf and eat me up."
The brother did not drink, but said, "I will wait till I come to the
next spring, but then I must drink, say what you will, for my thirst
is getting unbearable."
And when they came to the third spring, the little sister heard a
voice in its murmur, saying, "Whoever drinks of me will become a roe,"
and she cried, "Oh brother, do not drink, I pray thee, lest thou
become a roe and run away from me." But the brother had already knelt
down by the stream, stooped down, and drank of the water; and as soon
as the first drop touched his lips, there he lay--a white roe.
The little sister cried over her poor bewitched brother, and the roe
cried also as he rested mournfully beside her. At last the maiden
said, "Never mind, dear Roe, I will never forsake you." So she took
off her golden garter and put it round the roe's neck, then pulled
some rushes and wove them into a cord. To this she tied the little
animal and led him on, and they both went still deeper into the wood.
When they had gone a long, long way, they came at last to a little
house, into which the maiden peeped; and as it was empty, she thought,
"Here we may stay and live.
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