down to eat, and then we will talk." When he had sated his hunger, his mother said to him: "Knowest thou that I have a boon to ask if thou wilt grant it me?" "Say on, and I will grant it," quoth he. "A poor little woman has come here in search of her husband, Prince Jalma: dost thou know him?" and then she brought forth the damsel. "No, my daughter," quoth he; "I know him not; but I will take thee to my gossip the Puelche.[1] 'Tis likely enough that he may know him." So she took leave of his mother, who gave her a golden distaff, so that she might sell it in case of need.
The damsel reached the abode of the Puelche in the same fashion: met with his mother, and when her son came home and had said as the others had said, he answered: "The one who ought to know him is my gossip the Travesia;[2] she is a greater traveller than I; no corner is there that she does not look into it." He offered to carry her thither; and her mother, when the [damsel] said Good-bye, gave her a golden comb, so that she might make use of it in case of need.
She reached the abode of the Travesia, and found only her mother, who welcomed her with great wonder and kindness. The damsel asked her the same questions, and she answered her: "My daughter must know him," and she hid her away under a kettle. When the Travesia came home, she came raging so fiercely that she made everything tremble with fright. But after she had eaten, the mother brought out the damsel, who asked her about Prince Jalma. "Even so," quoth she; "I know him and know where he abides, and I will carry thee thither. He lives imprisoned in a palace, guarded by an old witch, who has a daughter; and they want to wed him to her. So as to bring this about and that he may see no one, and that no one may see him, they make him sleep under seven locks." Quoth the mother: "Take this little golden tray, so that thou mayst arouse the covetousness of the witch's daughter, and thou must sell it her that they may give thee leave to pass the night in the prince's
