In Norroway, long time ago, there lived a certain lady, and she had three daughters:  The oldest of them said to her mother:  “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.”  Her mother did so; and the daughter went away to an old witch washerwife and told her purpose.  The old wife bade her stay that day, and look out of her back-door, and see what she could see.  She saw nought the first day.  The second day she did the same, and saw nought.  On the third day she looked again, and saw a coach-and-six coming along the road.  She ran in and told the old wife what she saw.  “Well,” quoth the old woman, “yon’s for you.”  So they took her into the coach and galloped off.

The second daughter next says to her mother:  “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.”  Her mother did so; and away she went to the old wife, as her sister had done.  On the third day she looked out of the back-door, and saw a coach-and-four coming along the road.  “Well,” quoth the old woman, “yon’s for you.”  So they took her in, and off they set.

The third daughter says to her mother:  “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.”  Her mother did so; and away she went to the old witch.  She bade her look out of her back-door, and see what she could see She did so; and when she came back, said she saw nought.  The second day she did the same, and saw nought.  The third day she looked again, and on coming back said to the old wife she saw nought but a great Black Bull coming crooning along the road.  “Well,” quoth the old witch, “yon’s for you.”  On hearing this she was next to distracted with grief and terror; but she was lifted up and set on his back, and away they went.

Aye they travelled, and on they travelled, till the lady grew faint with hunger.  “Eat out of my right ear,” says the Black Bull, “and drink out of my left ear, and set by your leaving.”  So she did as he said, and was wonderfully refreshed.  And long they rode, and hard they rode, till they came in sight of a very big and bonny castle.  “Yonder we must be this night,” quoth the Bull; “for my elder brother lives yonder;” and presently they were at the place.  They lifted her off his back, and took her in, and sent him away to a park for the night.  In the morning, when they brought the Bull home, they took the lady into a fine shining parlour, and gave her a beautiful apple, telling her not to break it till she was in the greatest strait ever mortal was in the world, and that would bring her out of it.  Again she was lifted on the Bull’s back, and after she had ridden far, and farther than I can tell, they came in sight of a far bonnier castle, and far farther away than the last.  Says the Bull to her:  “Yonder we must be this night, for my second brother lives yonder;” and they were at the place directly.  They lifted her down and took her in, and sent the Bull to the