It was
not long before his wealth was greater than it had ever been before. But
he could not rejoice over it untroubled, for the bargain which he had
made with the nix tormented his soul. Whenever he passed the mill-pond,
he feared she might ascend and remind him of his debt. He never let
the boy himself go near the water. "Beware," he said to him, "if thou
dost but touch the water, a hand will rise, seize thee, and draw thee
down." But as year after year went by and the nix did not show herself
again, the miller began to feel at ease. The boy grew up to be a youth
and was apprenticed to a huntsman. When he had learnt everything, and
had become an excellent huntsman, the lord of the village took him into
his service. In the village lived a beautiful and true-hearted maiden,
who pleased the huntsman, and when his master perceived that, he gave
him a little house, the two were married, lived peacefully and happily,
and loved each other with all their hearts.
One day the huntsman was chasing a roe; and when the animal turned
aside from the forest into the open country, he pursued it and at last
shot it.
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