Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 194, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1920 — The SANDMAN STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The SANDMAN STORY

FOX AND THE WITCH ’ BLACK FOX bad often heard that there were witches and fairies living somewhere In the forest, but he had never seen one and did not bother even to wonder where tpey had their home until one day be thought of something which would need the help of a witch. So one night he began to hunt and found the cave where an old witch and her black cat lived. They were dancing about a big kettle of something boiling over a fire outside the cave and for a second Black Fox thought of running away. But instead, he hid behind a rock and watched the strange pair. He

saw the old witch dip lnto4he boiling pot and take out a cupful of something and give it to the black cdt to drink, which changed the cat into a fox just like himself. "Ah, this is just the place I am looking for,” said Black Fox, running up to the witch, who was so startled by seeing two foxes she almost tumbled into the pot. “Madam, I want your help,” said Black Fox. "I want to have the power to change myself into a turkey whenever I like and the power to change back again also.” “What will you give me if I do this?” asked the greedy old creature.

Black Fox had not thought of that. He had always got everything for nothing so far and this was a new idea, but he saw at once that this time he would have to pay, so he asked her what she wanted. “As you have no gold to give,” said the witch, “I will be easy with you and ask oiily for a stone, but It must be taken from the bottom of the pool that Is In the middle of the forest and from no other place.” Black Fox almost laughed- at this. It sounded so easy. He promised atonce to begin the next night, bringing a-stone from the forest pool. Off he ran to the pool, and then he thought for the first time that this was no easy task for him to dive each night to the bottom and bring up a stone. “How is she to. know, I wonder, where the stone comes from?” thought sly Black Fox. “I am not going to risk my life every night getting a stone from that deep pool when there are plenty of stones right here on the ground.” The next night as he was on his way to the witch’s cave Black Fox picked up a stone from the ground and took it along. “Here is the stone from the bottom of the pool, wise Witch,” said Black Fox, “and now I beg of you be quick and give me the power I crave.” The old witch looked at the stone, and she knew at once Black Fox had tried to deceive her, but said not a word. Instead she went to the boiling kettle and gave him some of the fluid in a cup. “Drink 1” she said, and had Black Fox noticed the look in her eyes he would have dropped the cup and run. But he didn’t So he drank it and asked: “What shall I do next wise Witch?” “Wiser than you think,” muttered the witch under her breath, but she told Black Fox all that he had to do was to wish three times when he wanted to change into a turkey, and it would be granted. “But remember, this will only last for tonight. Tomorrow you must bring me another stone from the bottom of the forest pool and from no other place.” Black Fox promised, and off he trotted, laughing to himself that the old witch did not know the difference, and it would be easy to bring the stone each night (Copyright)