who has lost one hand." And her brother asked, "Where did he get the girl, this child of the Sultan?" And they told him, "He picked her up in the forest." And he knew she was his sister.
And he went to the king. And he went and said, "Your child has married a woman who has lost a hand. She was put out of their town because she was a witch; every husband who marries her, she kills."
And the king went and told his wife, and they said, "What plan can we act on?" And they loved much their only child, and they said, "Let us put her out of the town." And her brother said to them, "Kill her, for there at home she had her hand cut off, and here kill her." And they said, "We cannot kill her, we will put her out of the town." And they went and put her out of the town, her and her son. And she was comforted.
And she went out, and carried a little earthen pot, and went her way into the forest; she knew not where she was going or whence she came. And she sat down, and showed her child, and casting her eyes, she saw a snake come fast towards her, and she said, "To-day I am dead."
And the snake said to her, "Child of Adam, open your earthern pot that I may go in. Save me from sun, and I will save you from rain." And she opened the pot, and it went in, and she covered it. And she looked and saw another snake coming fast, and it said to her, "Has not my companion passed?" And she said, "It is going." And it passed quickly.
The snake which was in the pot said to her, "Uncover me." And she uncovered it, and it was comforted, and said to that child of Adam, "Where are you going?" And she said, "I know not where I am going, I am wandering in the wood." And the snake said to her, "Follow me, and let us go home." And they went
