# XII: The Words of the Witch-Wife to Birdalone explained — The Water of the Wondrous Isles > Chapter companion for The Water of the Wondrous Isles by William Morris. ## What happens The witch-wife speaks to Birdalone after transforming her into a milk-white hind, warning her against disobedience and fleeing, while also promising future encounters with handsome men and a life of love and dominion if she remains obedient. She threatens dire consequences if Birdalone tries to escape, then completes the transformation and confines her to the brook's vicinity. ## 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. ## Character check-ins ### 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 lines > 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._ > Into a lovely lily-lass hast thou grown. That I tell thee now, though my wont has been to gird at thee for the fashion of thy body; that was but the word of the mistress to the thrall. You have grown into a beautiful girl; I only criticized you before as a mistress speaks to a slave. _The witch-wife admits her past insults were part of a power dynamic, not truth._ > And now what awaiteth thee? For thou mayst say: I am lonely here, and there is no man to look on me. Of what avail, therefore, is my goodliness and shapeliness? Child, I answer thee that the time is coming when thou shalt see here a many of the fairest of men, and then shalt thou be rather rose than lily, and fully come to womanhood; and all those shall love and worship thee, and thou mayst gladden whom thou wilt, and whom thou wilt mayst sadden; and no lack soever shalt thou have of the sweetness of love, or the glory of dominion. You may think your beauty is wasted here alone, but soon many handsome men will come and worship you, giving you love and power. _The witch-wife promises future romantic and social rewards for obedience._ > Think of it then! All this is for thee if thou dwell here quietly with me, doing my will till thy womanhood hath blossomed. Wherefore I beseech and pray thee put out of thy mind the thought of fleeing from me. Consider this offer: stay with me and obey until you mature, and all this will be yours. So I beg you, stop thinking of escape. _The witch-wife explicitly ties the promised future to continued submission._ > For if thou try it, one of two things shall be: either I shall bring thee back and slay thee, or make thee live in misery of torment; or else thou wilt escape, and then what will it be? Dost thou know how it shall go with thee, coming poor and nameless, an outcast, into the world of men? Lust shalt thou draw unto thee, but scarce love. I say an outcast shalt thou be, without worship or dominion; thy body shall be a prey to ribalds, and when the fine flower thereof hath faded, thou shalt find that the words of thy lovers were but mockery. That no man shall love thee, and no woman aid thee. Then shall Eld come to thee and find thee at home with Hell; and Death shall come and mock thee for thy life cast away for nought, for nought. If you try to flee, either I will kill you or torment you, or you will escape only to become a poor outcast, desired only for lust, abandoned by all, and ending in despair and death. _The witch-wife paints a grim picture of life outside her control to deter escape._ > This is my word to thee: and now I have nought to do to thee save to change thee thy skin, and therein must thou do as thou canst, but it shall be no ugly or evil shape at least. But another time maybe I shall not be so kind as to give thee a new shape, but shall let thee wander about seen by none but me. I have nothing more to say except to change your form; this shape is not ugly, but next time I might leave you invisible to all but me. _The witch-wife completes the transformation and hints at worse punishments to come._ > Then she took the cup and took water in the hollow of her hand and cast it into Birdalone’s face, and muttered words withal; and presently she saw herself indeed, that she was become a milk-white hind; and she heard and saw again, but not as she, the maiden, was wont to hear and see; for both her hearing and seeing and her thought was of a beast and not of a maiden. The witch-wife cast water on Birdalone's face while muttering, and Birdalone became a milk-white hind, perceiving the world as a beast. _The transformation is complete, altering Birdalone's senses and mind._ > Said the witch-wife: It is done now, till I give thee grace again; and now be off into the field; but if thou stray more than half a bowshot from the brook, it shall be the worse for thee. The witch-wife declares the transformation done and orders Birdalone to stay within half a bowshot of the brook or face consequences. _The witch-wife imposes a spatial boundary on the transformed Birdalone._ > And now the day was done and night was come. Day ended and night fell. _The chapter closes with the onset of night._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se/chapters/xii-the-words-of-the-witch-wife-to-birdalone - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_water_of_the_wondrous_isles_se/chapters