“I understand magic, Fairy, and can change at will into any shape that pleases me—so in the twinkling of an eye I became a Witch too, and walking slowly forward, I said, ‘A fine night, Madam Witch. What do you here?’
“The old Witch jumped when she heard my voice, but seeing it was only a Witch like herself, she grinned horribly and said: ‘I have persuaded hundreds of children to stop eating Oatmeal, and every time a Child refuses Oatmeal, one of these little imps is born. Before tomorrow night the Fairy’s Oat Field will be withered and dead. One thing only can stop these imps of mine,’ she chuckled.
“‘What is that, O powerful Witch?’ I asked.
“‘I must be bound fast with chains of steel. If such a thing could happen my imps would quickly die and the Children would eat Oatmeal again and the Field regain its beauty, but ha! ha! no one can bind me.’
“‘You must be very clever, Madam Witch,’ I said, ‘But it grows late and I must away.’
“So I left her there and went to my home.”
“What shall I do?” the little Fairy cried. “What shall I do?”
“Be not discouraged, Fairy,” said the Persian Cat, “I am your friend, follow me.”
Down the road the cat led them for fully half a mile, until they came to a forest of fir trees. Quiet reigned within the wood. It was so very still that even their soft footsteps on the pine needles could be heard. There was no light except from far above their heads, where the blue sky shone through the green branches of the trees.
Puss went on and on, until Cho-Cho and the Fairy were growing quite tired. At last he stopped before a huge tree whose branches touched the ground. Parting these, the Cat entered, and followed by his two friends, stood beside the Tree.