"Now they are big and black, like the eyes of the king." "My spirit looked upon his eyes and made them beautiful," I answered.
"This child has a birth-mark on his thigh," she said a third time.

"That which I gave you had no mark." "I laid my medicine there," I answered.
"It is not the same child," she said sullenly.

"It is a changeling who will lay ill-luck at our doors." Then I rose up in my rage and cursed her heavily, for I saw that if she was not stopped this woman's tongue would bring us all to ruin.
"Peace, witch!" I cried.

"How dare you to speak thus from a lying heart?
Do you wish to draw down a curse upon our roof?
Would you make us all food for the king's spear?
Say such words again, and you shall sit within the circle--the Ingomboco shall know you for a witch!" So I stormed on, threatening to bring her to death, till at length she grew fearful, and fell at my feet praying for mercy and forgiveness.
But I was much afraid because of this woman's tongue, and not without reason..