there was once upon a time a castle in the middle of a thick wood where lived an old woman quite alone , for she was an enchantress . in the day - time she changed herself into a cat or a night - owl , but in the evening she became like an ordinary woman again . she could entice animals and birds to come to her , and then she would kill and cook them . if any youth came within a hundred paces of the castle , he was obliged to stand still , and could not stir from the spot till she set him free ; but if a pretty girl came within this boundary , the old enchantress changed her into a bird , and shut her up in a wicker cage , which she put in one of the rooms in the castle . she had quite seven thousand of such cages in the castle with very rare birds in them . joringel looked up at jorinde . she had been changed into a nightingale , who was singing ' jug , jug . ' a night - owl with glowing eyes flew three times round her , and screeched three times ' tu - whit , tu - whit , tu - whoo . ' joringel could not stir ; he stood there like a stone ; he could not weep , or speak , or move hand or foot . now the sun set ; the owl flew into a bush , and immediately an old , bent woman came out of it ; she was yellow - skinned and thin , and had large red eyes and a hooked nose , which met her chin . she muttered to herself , caught the nightingale , and carried her away in her hand . joringel could say nothing ; he could not move from the spot , and the nightingale was gone . 
the old woman .
who was the night-owl ?
who was the night-owl ?