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WITCH, THE |
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children in charge of her eldest daughter, Sunday, and goes away. In a moment, the Witch makes her appearance, and asks to borrow some trifle.
Sunday at first refuses, but, after a short parley, goes into the next room to fetch the required article. In her absence the Witch steals the youngest of the children (Saturday), and runs off with her. Sunday, on her return, seeing that the Witch has left, thinks there must be something wrong, and counts the children, saying, " Monday, Tuesday," &c, until she comes to Saturday, who is missing. She then pretends to cry, wrings her hands, and sobs out—" Mother will beat me when she comes home."
On the Mother's return, she, too, counts the children, and finding Saturday gone, asks Sunday where she is. Sunday answers, "Oh, mother! an Old Witch called, and asked to
borrow-------, and, whilst I was fetching it, she ran off with
Saturday." The Mother scolds and beats her, tells her to be more careful in the future, and again sets off for the market. This is repeated until all the children but Sunday have been stolen. Then the Mother and Sunday, hand in hand, go off to search for them. They meet the Old Witch, who has them all crouching down in a line behind her.
Mother. Have you seen my children ?
Old Witch. Yes! I think by Eastgate. The Mother and Sunday retire, as if to go there, but, not finding them, again return to the Witch, who this time sends them to Westgate, then to Southgate and Northgate. At last one of the children pops her head up over the Witch's shoulder, and cries out, "Here we are, Mother." Then follows this dialogue:—
M. I see my children, may I go in ?
O. IV. No! your boots are too dirty.
M. I will take them off.
O. W. Your stockings are too dirty.
M. I will take them off.
O. W. Your feet are too dirty.
M. I will cut them off.
O. W. Then the blood will stream over the floor. |
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