Wore the years thus, till now she was grown tall and thin, and had
seen twelve winters, and was far stronger and handier than at first
sight she looked to be. That found her mistress, and would not
forego the using of her deftness. For indeed the maiden knew all
matters of wood and field full well, and somewhat of the water also
(though no boat had she ever seen there), for she learned herself
swimming, as the ducks do belike.

But now her mistress would learn her swinking, and hard was the
lesson, for with twiggen rods and switches was she learned, and was
somewhat stubborn with this woman, who she deemed loved her not; and,
however it were, there began to grow in her an inkling that all was
not well with the dame, and howsoever she might fear her, she trusted
her not, nor worshipped her; otherwise she had learned her lesson
speedily; for she was not slack nor a sluggard, and hated not the
toil, even when it pained and wearied her, but against the anger and
malice she hardened her heart.

It is to be said, that though there she dwelt alone with the witch-
wife, she had somehow got to know that they two were not alone in the
world, and she knew of male and female, and young and old. Thereof
doubtless the witch herself had learned her, would she, would she
not; for though she were mostly few-spoken, yet whiles the tongue of
her would loosen, and she would tell Birdalone tales of men and
women, and kings and warriors and thralls, and the folk of the world
beyond them, if it were but to scare the child. Yea, and when she
rated Birdalone, or girded at her, words would come forth which the
maiden stored up, and by laying two and two together gat wisdom howso
it were. Moreover, she was of the race of Adam, and her heart
conceived of diverse matters from her mother's milk and her father's