Theretheysatandtalkedforawhile，andhadtheirlittlesonalongwiththem。AfteratimeSigurdbecamesoheavywithsleepthathecouldnolongerkeepawake，sohewentbelowandlaydown，leavingtheQueenaloneonthedeck，playingwithherson。
AgoodwhileafterSigurdhadgonebelowtheQueensawsomethingblackonthesea，whichseemedtobecomingnearer。Asitapproachedshecouldmakeoutthatitwasaboat，andcouldseethefigureofsomeonesittinginitandrowingit。Atlasttheboatcamealongsidetheship，andnowtheQueensawthatitwasastoneboat，outofwhichtherecameuponboardtheshipafearfullyuglyWitch。TheQueenwasmorefrightenedthanwordscandescribe，andcouldneitherspeakawordnormovefromtheplacesoastoawakentheKingorthesailors。TheWitchcamerightuptotheQueen，tookthechildfromherandlaiditonthedeck；thenshetooktheQueen，andstrippedherofallherfineclothes，whichsheproceededtoputonherself，andlookedthenlikeahumanbeing。LastofallshetooktheQueen，putherintotheboat，andsaid——
’ThisspellIlayuponyou，thatyouslackennotyourcourseuntilyoucometomybrotherintheUnderworld。’
TheQueensatstunnedandmotionless，buttheboatatonceshotawayfromtheshipwithher，andbeforelongshewasoutofsight。
Whentheboatcouldnolongerbeseenthechildbegantocry，andthoughtheWitchtriedtoquietitshecouldnotmanageit；soshewentbelowtowheretheKingwassleepingwiththechildonherarm，andawakenedhim，scoldinghimforleavingthemaloneondeck，whileheandallthecrewwereasleep。Itwasgreatcarelessnessofhim，shesaid，toleavenoonetowatchtheshipwithher。