L2-7-1-3

Away, away !" cried the priest, and drove him away from the door.

The young fisherman went into the city.

When the merchant saw him coming, they called to him and said,

"'What have you got to sell?'

"'I will sell my soul,' he answered.

"'What uses it to me?'

The merchant laughed at him.

"'What uses it to us?

"'It isn't worth a penny.

"'Sell is your body to be a slave, but don't talk about your soul.

It's worth nothing to us."

The young fisherman thought,

"'This is very strange.

The priest tells me that the soul is worth all the gold in the world,

but the merchants say that it isn't worth a penny.'

He went out of the city and came down to the seashore

and began to wonder what he should do.

At midday he remembered one of his friends who had told him about a witch.

He ran along the sand and came to the cave in which she lived.

Her magic told her that he was coming,

and she laughed and let down her red hair

and stood at the opening of her cave.

"'What do you want?' she cried as he came running towards her.

"'I can give you anything you want, but everything has its price.'

"'I want only a little thing,' said the young fisherman.

But the priest was angry when I asked him for it

and drove me away.

It's only a little thing, but the merchants have laughed at me.

So I have come to you, although men say that you are bad.

Whatever your price is, I will pay it."

"'What do you want?' said the witch, coming nearer to him.

"'I want to send my soul away from me,' answered the young fisherman.

The witch hid her face.

"'Pretty boy, pretty boy,' she said.

"'That is a fearful thing to do,' he laughed.

"'My soul is no use to me,' he answered.

"'I can't see it. I can't touch it.

I don't know it.'

"'What will you give me if I tell you?' asked the witch,

looking down at him with her beautiful eyes.

"'Five pieces of gold and my nets and the house that I live in

and the boat that I sail.

"'Only tell me how to lose my soul and I'll give you all that I have,' she laughed.

"'I'm a witch, so I can have all the gold and silver that I want.'

"'Well then, what shall I give you? What shall I do?'

"'She put her thin white hand on his head and she smiled at him as she spoke.

"'You must dance with me, pretty boy,' she said.