shesankintotheground,andwentdowntothemarshwoman,whoisalwaysbrewingthere.

themarshwomanisrelatedtotheelfmaidens,whoarewell-known,forsongsaresungandpicturespaintedaboutthem.butofthemarshwomannothingisknown,exceptingthatwhenamistarisesfromthemeadows,insummertime,itisbecausesheisbrewingbeneaththem.tothemarshwoman'sbreweryingesunkdowntoaplacewhichnoonecanendureforlong.aheapofmudisapalacecomparedwiththemarshwoman'sbrewery;andasingefellsheshudderedineverylimb,andsoonbecamecoldandstiffasmarble.herfootwasstillfastenedtotheloaf,whichbowedherdownasagoldenearofcornbendsthestem.

anevilspiritsoontookpossessionofinge,andcarriedhertoastillworseplace,inwhichshesawcrowdsofunhappypeople,waitinginastateofagonyforthegatesofmercytobeopenedtothem,andineveryheartwasamiserableandeternalfeelingofunrest.itwouldtaketoomuchtimetodescribethevarioustorturesthesepeoplesuffered,butinge'spunishmentconsistedinstandingthereasastatue,withherfootfastenedtotheloaf.shecouldmovehereyesabout,andseeallthemiseryaroundher,butshecouldnotturnherhead;andwhenshesawthepeoplelookingathershethoughttheywereadmiringherprettyfaceandfineclothes,forshewasstillvainandproud.butshehadforgottenhowsoiledherclotheshadbecomewhileinthemarshwoman'sbrewery,andthattheywerecoveredwithmud;asnakehadalsofasteneditselfinherhair,andhungdownherback,whilefromeachfoldinherdressagreattoadpeepedoutandcroakedlikeanasthmaticpoodle.worsethanallwastheterriblehungerthattormentedher,andshecouldnotstooptobreakoffapieceoftheloafonwhichshestood.no;herbackwastoostiff,andherwholebodylikeapillarofstone.andthencamecreepingoverherfaceandeyesflieswithoutwings;shewinkedandblinked,buttheycouldnotflyaway,fortheirwingshadbeenpulledoff;this,addedtothehungershefelt,washorribletorture.

"ifthislastsmuchlonger,"shesaid,"ishallnotbeabletobearit."butitdidlast,andshehadtobearit,withoutbeingabletohelpherself.

atear,followedbymanyscaldingtears,felluponherhead,androlledoverherfaceandneck,downtotheloafonwhichshecouldbeweepingforinge?shehadamotherintheworldstill,andthetearsofsorrowwhichamothershedsforherchildwillalwaysfindtheirwaytothechild'sheart,buttheyoftenincreasethetormentinsteadofbeingarelief.andingecouldhearallthatwassaidaboutherintheworldshehadleft,andeveryoneseemedcrueltoher.thesinshehadcommittedintreadingontheloafwasknownonearth,forshehadbeenseenbythecowherdfromthehill,whenshewascrossingthemarshandhaddisappeared.

whenhermotherweptandexclaimed,"ah,inge!whatgriefthouhastcausedthymother"shewouldsay,"ohthatihadneverbeenborn!mymother'stearsareuselessnow."

andthenthewordsofthekindpeoplewhohadadoptedhercametoherears,whentheysaid,"ingewasasinfulgirl,whodidnotvaluethegiftsofgod,buttrampledthemunderherfeet."

"ah,"thoughtinge,"theyshouldhavepunishedme,anddrivenallmynaughtytempersoutofme."

asongwasmadeabout"thegirlwhotrodonaloaftokeephershoesfrombeingsoiled,"andthissongwassungeverywhere.thestoryofhersinwasalsotoldtothelittlechildren,andtheycalledher"wickedinge,"andsaidshewassonaughtythatsheoughttobepunished.ingeheardallthis,andherheartbecamehardenedandfullofbitterness.

butoneday,whilehungerandgriefweregnawinginherhollowframe,sheheardalittle,innocentchild,whilelisteningtothetaleofthevain,haughtyinge,burstintotearsandexclaim,"butwillshenevercomeupagain?"