which she hid and covered herself with leaves and
branches, leaving only one of her long ears sticking out. The seven
neighbors once more went into the garden and began picking jujubes, when
one of them noticed the witch's ear sticking out of the leaves and
thought it was a mushroom and tried to pick it. Then the witch jumped
out of the hole and ran after the women, all of whom escaped but one.
The witch was going to eat her, but she begged hard for pardon and
promised never to enter the garden again. The witch finally forgave her
on the condition that she would give her her child, yet unborn, whether
a boy or girl, when it was seven years old. The poor woman promised in
her distress, and the witch let her go.

Some time after the woman had a beautiful little girl whom she named
Angiola. When Angiola was six years old, her mother sent her to school
to learn to sew and knit. On her way to school she had to pass the
garden where the witch lived. One day, when she was almost seven, she
saw the witch standing in front of her garden. She beckoned to Angiola
and gave her some fine fruits and said: "You see, fair Angiola, I am
your aunt. Tell your mother you have seen your aunt, and she sends her
word not to forget her promise." Angiola went home and told her mother,
who was frightened and said to herself: "Ah! the time has come when I
must give up my Angiola." Then she said to the child: "When your aunt
asks you to-morrow for an answer, tell her you forgot her errand." The
next day she told the witch as she was directed. "Very well," she
replied, "tell her to-day, but don't forget." Thus several days passed;
the witch was constantly on the watch for Angiola when she went to
school, and wanted to know her mother's answer, but Angiola always
declared that she had forgotten to ask her. One day, however, the witch
became angry and said: "Since you are so forgetful, I must give you some
token to remind you of your errand." Then she bit Angiola's little
finger so hard that she bit a piece out. Angiola went home in tears and
showed her mother her finger. "Ah!" thought her mother, "there is no
help for it. I must give my poor child to the witch, or else she will
eat her up in her anger." The next morning as Angiola was going to
school, her mother said to her: "Tell your aunt to do with you as she
thinks best." Angiola did so, and the witch said: "Very well, then come
with me, for you are mine."

So the witch took the fair Angiola wi