` Why did you marry a serpent ? ' asked the boy . ' I thought he was a man ! How did he learn those odd tricks ? ' As the sun rose , she woke her brother , and said , ` Go and take the goats to pasture ! ' ' I will come too , ' said the little boy . ` Go then ! ' said his mother , and they went together . On the way the boy began : ` Dear uncle , this night my mother means to kill both of us , by poisoning us with the bones of the serpent , which she will grind to powder and sprinkle in our food . ' ` And what are we to do ? ' asked the uncle . ' I will kill her , dear uncle . I do not want either a father or a mother like that ! ' When they came home in the evening they saw the woman preparing supper , and secretly scattering the powdered bones of the serpent on one side of the dish . On the other , where she meant to eat herself , there was no poison . And the boy whispered to his uncle , ` Dear uncle , be sure you eat from the same side of the dish as I do ! ' ` All right , ' said the uncle . So they all three sat down to the table , but before they helped themselves the boy said , ' I am thirsty , mother ; will you get me some milk ? ' ` Very well , ' said she , ` but you had better begin your supper . ' And when she came back with the milk they were both eating busily .
` Sit down and have something too , ' said the XXXXX , and she sat down and helped herself from the dish , but at the very first moment she sank dead upon the ground .
boy brother home man pasture poison serpent sun supper tricks