One evening when the black bride was sitting on the King’s knee, a white duck came swimming up the gutter to the kitchen, and said to the kitchen-boy, “Boy, light a fire, that I may warm my feathers.” The kitchen-boy did it, and lighted a fire on the hearth. Then came the duck and sat down by it, and shook herself and smoothed her feathers to rights with her bill. While she was thus sitting and enjoying herself, she asked, “What is my brother Reginer doing?”

The scullery-boy replied, “He is imprisoned in the pit with adders and with snakes.”

Then she asked, “What is the black witch doing in the house?”

The boy answered, “She is loved by the King and happy.”

“May God have mercy on him,” said the duck, and swam forth by the sink.