"Beelzebub be praised!" cried the kopanitschar's wife, and she frisked about for joy.
"Cook us some supper, sisterkin," said Pirka to Annie.
"What sort of a guest have you brought me?" asked the latter.
"You know well enough without being told."
Then Annie recognized Michal, and laughed with all her might. Witches always rejoice when they see an innocent soul rushing to perdition.
With that the pair of them led her into the kitchen, and made a great fire, on which they put sundry pots. But Pirka filled a smaller pan with water, and after performing all sorts of mystic hocus-pocus over it, put it also on the fire, first of all throwing into it a scrap of paper, on which the word Valentine was written.
"What does that pot do on the fire?" asked Annie.
"As soon as all the water in it has boiled away, so that nothing remains in it but the scrap of paper, my buck-goat will bring this pretty little lady her stately lover. Make ready the supper, I say, there will be five of us."
"I don't like odd numbers," said Annie; but she forthwith fell to killing and plucking fowls, and baking little cakes.
Michal sat at the window and shivered.