Illustration by Ken Kiff from the book Folk Tales of The British Isles, edited by Michael Foss
There were an old Goodwife that lived down to Coleford Water, and she used to come into Crowcombe market with her bits and her pieces, but she were a very stout old body, and her pony old Smart he was getting on in years now-reckon he was nearly forty--and so they used to get ready quite early in the morning, round about four o'clock, and start on.
Well, one time, old Goody she mistook the time; she got up, she got her things ready, put in the stockings, and the apples, and the eggs into the pannier, and she loaded her old Smart, and then she gets up herself on upping stock, and on to his back, and away they goes afore midnight.
Well, bye and bye, old Goody she began to feel a bit sleepy-like. Old Smart he was a-plodding on as he'd done all these years, and she began to nod, and must have slept a bit, 'cos, when she woke up-summat waked she, and there was old Smart, a-standing in the middle o' sixty-acre, and he was a-trembling with fear. Ah! Sweat were behind his ears, and his mane and his tail they were stiff with fright; and Granny, she looked around like and there she saw a little white rabbit hopping towards her, all terrified, and there came the sound of hounds behind. But they weren't real hounds, oh! no, they ain't no real hounds; best not say too much about them. Well, when Granny sees this little white rabbit, she were that sorry for her, she forgot white rabbits were witch-souls, and she took off lid o' the pannier, and white rabbit hopped in, and Granny clapped down the lid tight.
Then she tried to get old Smart to move on, but he wasn't doing no moving, not he; he kept his eyes on a bit o' grass did old Smart- he knowed a bit--he wasn't going to look up. When Granny sees that, she remembered, and she got out her knitting-needles, see, and went on with her stocking, and she heard them there dogs coming nearer and a clatter o' hoofs, and a great fine black rider he come up alongside her. His horse had horns, and there was a green light round them, and those dogs had green fire coming out o' their mouths.
"Ave 'e seen a rabbit go by?' says the rider.
Well! Granny knew better than to answer him, so she just shook her head; and that wasn't wrong neither, 'cos rabbit was in pannier!
And away the whole hunt went up towards Will's Neck. You could hear their howls on the wind. And then old Smart, he got up, and he lumbered up at a canter--a thing he hadn't done for about twenty year, and he never stopped till he came to Roebuck Ford, and then he do stop. I said he knowed a thing or two, 'cos nothing can harm thee if you be in the middle of running water. No witches nor devils nor nothing. Then Granny she lifted up the lid o' her pannier, and out came the most beautiful lady.
Oh!' says she, 'how can I thank thee? When I was young, I was a witch, and when I died, I was condemned to be hunted forever by the Devil and his pack of Yeth-hounds, until I could get behind them.
And now you've saved my soul.'
And then she gave a most beautiful smile, all lit up like sunlight, and then she was gone. Well, Granny and old Smart, they made their way up along to Crowcombe. When they got to Butter Cross, church clock was striking three! So they set theirselves down by the Cross, and they finished their sleep. It had been a hard night for old folks, but the dogs couldn't harm them, on account the horse was shod, see?