“Sweet girl, do not cry.  Give us cookies and we will help thee.”

The little girl willingly did so.

“Now,” gratefully squeaked the mice, “go and find the black cat.  He is very hungry; give him a slice of ham and he will help thee.”

The girl speedily went in search of the cat and saw her brother in great distress about the tub, so many times he had filled the sieve, yet the tub was still dry.  The little birds passed, flying near by, and chirped to the children: 

“Kind-hearted little children, give us some crumbs and we will advise you.”

The orphans gave the birds some crumbs and the grateful birds chirped again: 

“Some clay and water, children dear!”

Then away they flew through the air.

The children understood the hint, spat in the sieve, plastered it up with clay and filled the tub in a very short time.  Then they both returned to the hut and on the threshold met the black cat.  They generously gave him some of the good ham which their good grandmother had given them, petted him and asked: 

“Dear Kitty-cat, black and pretty, tell us what to do in order to get away from thy mistress, the witch?”

“Well,” very seriously answered the cat, “I will give you a towel and a comb and then you must run away.  When you hear the witch running after you, drop the towel behind your back and a large river will appear in place of the towel.  If you hear her once more, throw down the comb and in place of the comb there will appear a dark wood.  This wood will protect you from the wicked witch, my mistress.”

Baba Yaga came home just then.

“Is it not wonderful?” she thought; “everything is exactly right.”

“Well,” she said to the children, “today you were brave and smart; let us see to-morrow.  Your work will be more difficult and I hope I shall eat you up.”

The poor orphans went to bed, not to a warm bed prepared by loving hands, but on the straw in a cold corner.  Nearly scared to death from fear, they lay there, afraid to talk, afraid even to breathe.  The next morning the witch ordered all the linen to be woven and a large supply of firewood to be brought from the forest.

The children took the towel and comb and ran away as fast as their feet could possibly carry them.  The dogs were after them, but they threw them the cookies that were left; the gates did not open themselves, but the children smoothed them with oil; the birch tree near the path almost scratched their eyes out, but the gentle girl fastened a pretty ribbon to it.  So they went farther and farther and ran out of the dark forest into the wide, sunny fields.

The cat sat down by the loom and tore the thread to pieces, doing it with delight.  Baba Yaga returned.

“Where are the children?” she shouted, and began to beat the cat.  “Why hast thou let them go, thou treacherous cat?  Why hast thou not scratched their faces?”