Now the ending of the wood left a fair green plain betwixt it and the
water, whiles more than a furlong across, whiles much less; and
whiles the trees came down close to the water-side. But the place
whereas they came from out the wood was of the widest, and there it
was a broad bight of greensward of the fashion of the moon seven
nights old, and a close hedge of thicket there was at the back of it;
and the lake lay south, and the wood north. Some deal of this
greensward was broken by closes of acre-land, and the tall green
wheat stood blossoming therein; but the most was sweet meadow, and
there as now was a gallant flock of goats feeding down it; five kine
withal, and a tethered bull. Through the widest of this meadow ran a
clear stream winding down to the lake, and on a little knoll beside a
lap of the said stream, two bow-shots from the water, was a knoll,
whereon stood, amidst of a potherb garden, a little house strongly
framed of timber. Before it the steep bank of the lake broke down
into a slowly-shelving beach, whose honey-coloured sand thrust up a
tongue in amongst the grass of the mead.

Went the witch-wife straight to the door of the said house as if she
were at home, as was sooth indeed. She threw the door open, and
unladed the ass of all his wares, and first of the youngling, whom
she shook awake, and bore into the house, and laid safely on the
floor of the chamber; nor did she wait on her wailing, but set about
what was to be done to kindle fire, and milk a she-goat, and get meat
upon the board. That did she, and fed both herself and the child
plenteously: neither did she stint her of meat ever, from that time
forward, however else she dealt with her.