XII: The Words of the Witch-Wife to Birdalone explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Female Agency and Autonomy

  The witch-wife's speech frames Birdalone's obedience as the path to power and love, while threatening loss of autonomy and degradation if she chooses to flee.

• Identity and Transformation

  Birdalone is physically transformed into a hind, losing her human senses and thought, highlighting a forced change of identity.

Characters to notice

• Birdalone

  Transformed into a milk-white hind by the witch-wife; hears and sees as a beast.

• The Witch Wife

  Delivers a lengthy monologue warning Birdalone, promising future joys if obedient, and threatening death or misery if she disobeys or flees.

Key passages

• “Said the witch-wife: When thou comest to thyself (for it is not my will that thou shouldest never have thine own shape again), doubtless the first thing which thou shalt do with thy new-gained voice and thy new-gained wit shall be to curse me, and curse me again. Do as thou wilt herein; but I charge thee, disobey me not, for that shall bring thee to thy bane.”

  The witch-wife tells Birdalone that when she regains her human form she will likely curse her, but warns that disobedience will lead to her destruction.

  The witch-wife establishes a conditional threat, framing obedience as survival.

• “For if thou do not my bidding, and if thou pry into my matters, and lay bare that which I will have hidden, then will it be imputed unto thee for guilt, and will I, will I not, I must be avenged on thee even to slaying: and then is undone all the toil and pain I have had in rearing thee into a deft and lovely maiden.”

  If Birdalone disobeys or uncovers the witch's secrets, she will be killed, wasting all the effort spent raising her.

  The witch-wife frames her threat as a consequence of Birdalone's actions, not mere cruelty.

• “Deem thou, then, this present anguish kind to thee, to keep thee that thou come not to nought.”

  Consider this current suffering as a kindness meant to prevent your utter ruin.

  The witch-wife justifies the transformation as a protective measure.

• “Well I wot that thou thinkest of me but as of an evil dream, whereof none can aught but long to awake from it. Yet I would have thee look to this at least; that I took thee from poverty and pinching, and have reared thee as faithfully as ever mother did to child; clemming thee never, smiting thee not so oft, and but seldom cruelly.”

  I know you see me as a nightmare, but remember I rescued you from poverty and raised you like a mother, never starving you and rarely striking you harshly.

  The witch-wife attempts to justify her treatment by contrasting it with a worse hypothetical past.

• “Moreover, I have suffered thee to go whereso thou wouldest, and have compelled thee to toil for nought but what was needful for our two livelihoods. And I have not stayed thy swimmings in the lake, nor thy wanderings in the wood, and thou hast learned bowshot there, till thou art now a past-master in the craft: and, moreover, thou art swift-foot as the best of the deer, and mayest overrun any one of them whom thou wilt.”

  I let you roam freely, swim, wander, and learn archery until you became an expert, and you are as fast as any deer.

  The witch-wife lists freedoms she granted to argue she has been lenient.

• “Soothly a merry life hast thou had as a child, and merry now would be thy life, save for thine hatred of me.”

  Truly you had a happy childhood and would still be happy if not for your hatred of me.

  The witch-wife blames Birdalone's unhappiness on her own feelings rather than the witch's actions.