and filled it, and brought it back, and stood before the witch more
dead than alive.

Then the witch-wife took up the flasket and pulled out the stopple
and betook it to Birdalone, and said: 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. Then would she have uttered a lamentable wail,
but the voice was sealed up in her and no sound came from her voice.
Then she heard the witch-wife how she said (and yet she heard it as
if her voice came from afar), Nay, thou canst not speak, and thou
canst not see thyself, nor may any other, save me, and I but dimly.
But this is but part of what I must lay upon thee; for next I must
give thee a new shape, and that both thyself and all other may see.
But, before I do that, I must speak a word to thee, which thy new
shape would not suffer the sense thereof to reach to thine heart.
Hearken!



CHAPTER XII. THE WORDS OF THE WITCH-WIFE TO BIRDALONE



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