“I won’t,” said Fluff, shortly.
“You must! You must!” insisted the witch-woman. “I can teach you nothing unless you wear the other cloak.”
“How did you know I had another cloak?” asked the princess, suspiciously.
“By witchcraft, perhaps,” said Zixi, mildly. “If you want to be a witch you must wear it.”
“I don’t want to be a witch,” declared Fluff. “Come, girls, come; let’s go home at once.”
“Wait—wait!” implored Zixi, eagerly. “If you’ll get the cloak I will teach you the most wonderful things in the world! I will make you the most powerful witch that ever lived!”
“I don’t believe you,” replied Fluff; and then she marched back to the palace with all her maids.
But Zixi knew her plot had failed; so she locked up the cottage and went back again to Ix, climbing the mountain and crossing the river and threading the forest with angry thoughts and harsh words.
“‘THAT IS NOT YOUR HANDSOMEST CLOAK. GO HOME AT ONCE AND GET THE OTHER ONE!’”