"Ah!" says the blind man, "that's a Baba Yaga. Wait a bit; we must treat her after her own fashion. To-morrow we won't go to the chase, but we'll try to entice her and lay hands upon her!" So next morning the heroes didn't go out hunting. "Now then, Uncle Footless!" says the blind man, "you get under the bench, and lie there ever so still, and I'll go into the yard and stand under the window. And as for you, sister, when the Baba Yaga comes, sit down just here, close by the window; and as you dress her hair, quietly separate the locks and throw them outside through the window. Just let me lay hold of her by those grey hairs of hers!" What was said was done. The blind man laid hold of the Baba Yaga by her grey hair, and cried-- "Ho there, Uncle Katoma! Come out from under the bench, and lay hold of this viper of a woman, while I go into the hut!" The Baba Yaga hears the bad news and tries to jump up to get her head free. (_Where are you off to? That's no go, sure enough!_[322]) She tugs and tugs, but cannot do herself any good! Just then from under the bench crawled Uncle Katoma, fell upon her like a mountain of stone, took to strangling her until the heaven seemed to her to disappear.[323] Then into the cottage bounded the blind man, crying to the cripple-- "Now we must heap up a great pile of wood, and consume this accursed one with fire, and fling her ashes to the wind!" The Baba Yaga began imploring them: "My fathers! my darlings! forgive me. I will do all that is right." "Very good, old witch! Then show us the fountain of healing and life-giving water!" said the heroes. "Only don't kill me, and I'll show it you directly!" Well, Katoma sat on the blind man's back. The blind man took the Baba Yaga by her back hair, and she led them into the depths of the forest, brought them to a well,[324] and said-- "That is the water that cures and gives life." "Look out, Uncle Katoma!" cried the blind man; "don't make a blunder. If she tricks us now we shan't get right all our lives!" Katoma cut a green branch off a tree, and flung it into the well. The bough hadn't so much as reached the water before it all burst into a flame! "Ha! so you're still up to your tricks," said the heroes, and began to strangle the Baba Yaga, with the intention of flinging her, the accursed one, into the fiery fount. More than ever did the Baba Yaga implore for mercy, swearing a great oath that she would not deceive them this time. "On my troth I will bring you to good water," says she. The heroes consented to give her one more trial, and she took them to another fount. Uncle Katoma cut a dry spray from a tree, and flung it into the fount. The spray had not yet reached the water when it already turned green, budded, and put forth blossoms. "Come now, that's good water!" said Katoma.