Once upon a time there was a sorcerer who used to assume the guise of a poor man and go begging from house to house to catch beautiful girls. No one knew where he took them, since none of the girls ever returned.
One day he went deep into the fields without regard to the way he took, and finally found himself in the forest. When he saw a small light in the darkness, he began walking towards it and soon reached a little cottage. Upon entering, he discovered an old woman sitting by all alone by the fire.
“What am I to do?” she asked.
“Let me keep the rose,” the sorcerer answered.
“Oh, my child,” she said. “You’ve got to die, or else we’ll waste away.”
Iron slippers had already been heated over a fire, and they were brought over to him with tongs. Finally, he had to put on the red-hot slippers and dance until he fell down dead.
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Notes:
1. Written in March 2020
2. Part of The New Brothers Grimm project
3. Assembled from Tale 46: Fitcher’s Bird; Tale 199; Tale 199: The Boots Of Buffalo Leather; Tale 29: The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs; Tale 93: The Raven; Tale 248: The Winter Rose; Tale 249: Prince Swan; Tale 53: Snow White