# VII: The Three Damsels Take Birdalone Out of the Witch’s Prison explained — The Water of the Wondrous Isles

> Chapter companion for The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris.

## What happens

Birdalone thanks Atra for her tale and learns more about the witch's cruelty from Aurea. The three damsels—Atra, Aurea, and Viridis—coordinate to free Birdalone from her prison at dawn. Atra shackles Birdalone again temporarily to avoid suspicion, then returns at grey dawn to unlock her irons and lead her out through the orchard to freedom.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Agency and Autonomy

The three damsels actively conspire to free Birdalone, demonstrating their agency and solidarity against the witch's tyranny.

### Power and Sorcery

The witch uses wizardry to destroy those who defy her, as recounted by Aurea.

### Class and Servitude

The damsels serve the witch as thralls, and Birdalone is held as a prisoner, highlighting their subjugation.

## Character check-ins

### Birdalone

The imprisoned maiden who is freed by the three damsels.

### Atra

One of the three damsels; she takes the lead in freeing Birdalone, shackling her temporarily and returning at dawn to unlock her.

### Aurea

Another damsel who tells Birdalone of past victims of the witch.

### Viridis

The third damsel; she serves the witch and participates in the rescue.

### The Witch Wife

The witch who imprisons Birdalone and has destroyed other visitors to the isle.

## Key lines

> None of these folk might the damsels help so as to do them any good, though they tried it, and went nigh to suffer therefor themselves.

The damsels were unable to aid any of those victims, despite their attempts, and nearly suffered punishment themselves.

_Aurea recounts the witch's past victims and the damsels' helplessness._

> Now must we twain begone to wait upon our lady, as the wont is: and that is now for our good hap, for if we be with her all three, and especially, to say sooth, if I be with her, we may well keep her from visiting thee here

We two must go attend our lady as usual; this works in our favor because if all three of us are with her, especially me, we can prevent her from coming to check on you.

_Atra explains the plan to keep the witch occupied while Birdalone waits for rescue._

> Look up, dear friend, to thy prison windows, and behold the dawn beginning to break on the day of thy deliverance, and ours maybe.

Look, dear friend, at your prison windows and see the dawn starting on the day you will be freed—and perhaps we will be freed too.

_Atra announces the dawn of Birdalone's liberation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se/chapters/vii-the-three-damsels-take-birdalone-out-of-the-witch-s-prison
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