So at dusk he climbed over the wall into the witch's garden, and gathered a handful of rampion leaves, but when he reached the other side he drew back in terror, for there, standing before him, was the old witch.
`How dare you,' she said, with a wrathful glance, `climb into my garden and steal my rampion like a common thief? You shall suffer for your foolhardiness.'
`Oh!' he implored, `forgive me; necessity alone drove me to the deed. My wife saw your rampion from her window, and conceived such a desire for it that she would certainly have died if her wish had not been gratified.' Then the Witch's anger was a little appeased, and she said:
`If it's as you say, you may take as much rampion away with you as you like, but on one condition only--that you give me the child your wife will shortly bring into the world. All shall go well with it, and I will look after it like a mother.'
