“Oh, Heaven help us! here comes a great big witch, with her head under her arm, and a bag at her back.”
“Jump under the kneading-trough and hide yourself”, said his mother.
So in came the old hag!
“Good day”, said she!
“God bless you!” said Buttercup’s mother.
“Isn’t your Buttercup at home to-day?” asked the hag.
“No, that he isn’t. He’s out in the wood with his father, shooting ptarmigan.”
“Plague take it”, said the hag, “for I had such a nice little silver knife I wanted to give him.”
“Pip, pip! here I am”, said Buttercup under the kneading-trough, and out he came.
“I’m so old, and stiff in the back”, said the hag, “you must creep into the bag and fetch it out for yourself.”