# XI: Of Birdalone’s Guilt and the Chastisement Thereof explained — The Water of the Wondrous Isles

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

## What happens

Birdalone returns to the witch's house and is questioned about her day. When she inadvertently mentions the lake and the boat, the witch flies into a violent rage, nearly killing her. The witch relents, pardons her, but imposes a strange and terrifying correction: she gives Birdalone a potion that makes her invisible to herself and others, and threatens to give her a new shape.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power and Sorcery

The witch uses her magical powers to threaten, pardon, and then invisibly transform Birdalone, demonstrating her absolute control over the maiden.

### Female Agency and Autonomy

Birdalone's innocent suggestion about fishing the lake nearly costs her life, highlighting her lack of agency and the witch's dominance over her actions and speech.

## Character check-ins

### Birdalone

Birdalone returns from her outing and is nearly killed by the witch for mentioning the lake and the boat. She is forced to drink a potion that renders her invisible and unable to speak.

### The Witch Wife

The witch flies into a murderous rage when Birdalone mentions the lake and the boat, but then pardons her and administers a potion as a 'correction' to make her invisible and voiceless.

## Key lines

> My lady, why do we not fish the lake, whereas there be shoal places betwixt us and the eyots where lie many and great fish, as I have seen when I have been swimming thereover?

Birdalone suggests they fish in the lake, mentioning the boat she saw.

_This innocent suggestion triggers the witch's violent reaction._

> But suddenly she dropped the knife, her hand fell to her side, and she fell in a heap on the floor and lay there hushed.

The witch abruptly stops her attack and collapses on the floor.

_The witch's sudden change from murderous rage to collapse shows her unstable nature._

> Drink of this now, a little sip, no more. And the maiden did so, and the liquor was no sooner down her gullet than the witch-wife and the chamber, and all things about her, became somewhat dim to her; but yet not so much so as that she could not see them. But when she stretched out her arm she could see it not at all, nor her limbs nor any other part of her which her eyes might fall upon.

Birdalone drinks a potion that makes her invisible to herself and others, though she can still see the room dimly.

_The potion renders Birdalone invisible and voiceless as part of the witch's correction._

## Links

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