shrieking with rage and spite, and swearing and snarling, for they knew
her for their old enemy, that drove them back into the corners, and kept
them from working their wicked wills.

"Drat thee!" yelled the witch-bodies, "thou 'st spoiled our spells this
year agone!"

"And us thou sent'st to brood in the corners!" howled the Bogles.

And all the Things joined in with a great "Ho, ho!" till the very
tussocks shook and the water gurgled. And they began again.

"We'll poison her--poison her!" shrieked the witches.

And "Ho, ho!" howled the Things again.

"We'll smother her--smother her!" whispered the Crawling Horrors, and
twined themselves round her knees.

And "Ho, ho!" mocked the rest of them.

And again they all shouted with spite and ill-will. And the poor Moon
crouched down, and wished she was dead and done with.

And they fought and squabbled what they should do with her, till a pale
grey light began to come in the sky; and it drew nigh the dawning. And
when they saw that, they were feared lest they shouldn't have time to
work their will; and they caught hold of her, with horrid bony fingers,
and laid her deep in the water at the foot of the snag. And the Bogles
fetched a strange big stone and rolled it on top of her, to keep her