XIV: Of Birdalone's Fishing explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Female Agency and Autonomy

  Birdalone exercises cunning and independence by hiding her ring and enjoying her time on the eyot despite the witch's surveillance.

• Nature and the Wild

  The chapter vividly depicts Birdalone's interaction with the natural world, including swimming, fishing, and playing with birds on the eyot.

Characters to notice

• Birdalone

  Birdalone goes fishing, hides her serpent-ring in her hair, and enjoys a moment of freedom on the eyot.

• The Witch Wife

  The witch-wife sends Birdalone fishing, searches her clothes, and watches her suspiciously.

Key passages

• “Now were the days wearing toward wheat-harvest, and nought befell to tell of, save that on a morn the witch-wife called Birdalone to her, and said: Now is little to be done till the wheat is ready for the hook, and thy days are idle; or what is that word that fell from thee that other day, that there be good swims for fish about the eyots?”

  As harvest time approached, the witch-wife told Birdalone she had little to do and suggested she go fishing at the eyots, as Birdalone had mentioned earlier.

  The witch-wife initiates the fishing trip, using Birdalone's own words to set the task.

• “She undid the bosom of her gown, and took forth her serpent-ring; for she bore it next to her skin, made fast to the bosom of her smock; but now she hid it carefully in the thickest of her brow-hair, which was very thick and soft.”

  Birdalone removed her serpent-ring from its hiding place on her smock and concealed it in her thick hair.

  Birdalone's cunning act of hiding the ring shows her wariness of the witch.

• “Birdalone looked through the willow-boughs, and saw her turn away; then she fared to her fishing with a smile, and soon had plenteous catch from under the willow-boughs.”

  After the witch left, Birdalone smiled and began fishing, quickly catching many fish.

  Birdalone's relief and enjoyment are evident once the witch departs.