"Three Wits hunted, but he could find no bobbin. Then he caught hold of the wire, and found that it led into the woods the way the Stag had gone. He caught hold of it and followed it along, calling to the little old man. They followed the silver wire far into the woods, and finally they came to the end of it, and there was the Stag, strangled and dead. The weight of the bobbin had carried the wire around his body and around his neck, and the bobbin itself had caught in the fork of one of his antlers. [Illustration: THE STAG AND THE WITCH] "The little old man seemed to be very happy. He patted Three Wits on the shoulder, and declared that he was a good boy, a fine boy. 'But there is more to be done,' said the little old man,--'a great deal more. And you will have to go alone. I can help you, but I can't be with you.' "Then he found the ivory bobbins, rewound the silver wire, which seemed to spin out still longer, and gave them to Three Wits. 'Take these,' he said, 'and go to the witch's house.' "'Do you mean Peggy Pig-Eye's house?' asked Three Wits. "'Why, of course.' replied the little old man. 'Her right name, as you saw by the book, is Paggia Paggiola, but people call her Peggy Pig-Eye for short. Go to her house, throw one of the bobbins over the roof, and then throw one around each end. Throw quick and hard, and, as you throw, cry out,-- "'Bibbity bobbity bobbin, Go hibbity hob hobnobbin.' "'But wait!' cried the little old man. 'You may need these dogs.' He took a wisp of the witch's hair, and whipped them back to life. And maybe you'll need a horse to ride. So he went into the woods where the Stag lay dead, and whipped him to his feet with the witch's hair. "'This is your horse,' he said to Three Wits. But the boy was afraid to mount the Stag. 'Be bold!' cried the little old man; 'all depends on that! Give me your foot. There you are! Loop the silver wire over his horns, and touch him with the bobbin the way you want him to go. He'll carry you safely. Good-by! Be bold!' "Following the little old man's directions, Three Wits was soon cantering down the road on the Stag's back. The dogs seemed to take everything for granted, and followed along after the Stag as readily as if he had been their master's horse. But travelers who chanced to be going along the road went into the wood when they saw a boy riding a big Stag. They were not used to such a queer sight. "The spirits of Three Wits rose as he went along. Everything had turned out so happily, and the Stag moved along so gracefully and easily that Three Wits felt quite like a hero.