In another moment, Mother Chattox returned bearing some living thing, wrapped in a white cloth, which struggled feebly for liberation, apparently confirming Alizon's suspicions, and she was about to rush forward, when Mistress Nutter, snatching the bundle from the old witch, opened it, and disclosed a beautiful bird, with plumage white as driven snow, whose legs were tied together, so that it could not escape. Conjecturing what was to follow, Alizon averted her eyes, and when she looked round again the bird had been slain, while Mother Chattox was in the act of throwing its body into the caldron, muttering a charm as she did so. Mistress Nutter held the ensanguined knife aloft, and casting some ruddy drops upon the glowing embers, pronounced, as they hissed and smoked, the following adjuration:-- "Thy aid I seek, infernal Power! Be thy word sent to Malkin Tower, That the beldame old may know Where I will, thou'dst have her go-- What I will, thou'dst have her do!" An immediate response was made by an awful voice issuing apparently from the bowels of the earth. "Thou who seek'st the Demon's aid, Know'st the price that must be paid." The queen witch rejoined-- "I do. But grant the aid I crave, And that thou wishest thou shalt have. Another worshipper is won, Thine to be, when all is done." Again the deep voice spake, with something of mockery in its accents:-- "Enough proud witch, I am content. To Malkin Tower the word is sent, Forth to her task the beldame goes, And where she points the streamlet flows; Its customary bed forsaking, Another distant channel making. Round about like elfets tripping, Stock and stone, and tree are skipping; Halting where she plants her staff, With a wild exulting laugh. Ho! ho! 'tis a merry sight, Thou hast given the hag to-night. Lo! the sheepfold, and the herd, To another site are stirr'd! And the rugged limestone quarry, Where 'twas digg'd may no more tarry; While the goblin haunted dingle, With another dell must mingle. Pendle Moor is in commotion, Like the billows of the ocean, When the winds are o'er it ranging, Heaving, falling, bursting, changing. Ho! ho! 'tis a merry sight Thou hast given the hag to-night.