A rich woman sat up late one night carding and preparing wool, while
all the family and servants were asleep. Suddenly a knock was given at
the door, and a voice called--"Open! open!"
"Who is there?" said the woman of the house.
"I am the Witch of the one Horn," was answered.
The mistress, supposing that one of her neighbours had called and
required assistance, opened the door, and a woman entered, having in
her hand a pair of wool carders, and bearing a horn on her forehead,
as if growing there. She sat down by the fire in silence, and began to
card the wool with violent haste. Suddenly she paused, and said aloud:
"Where are the women? they delay too long."
Then a second knock came to the door, and a voice called as before,
"Open! open!"
The mistress felt herself constrained to rise and open to the call,
and immediately a second witch entered, having two horns on her
forehead, and in her hand a wheel for spinning wool.
"Give me place," she said, "I am the Witch of the two Horns," and she
began to spin as quick as lightning.
And so the knocks went on, and the call was heard, and the witches
entered, until at last twelve women sat round the fire--the first with
one horn, the last with twelve horns.
And they carded the thread, and turned their spinning-wheels, and
wound and wove.
All singing together an ancient rhyme, but no word did they speak to
the mistress of the house. Strange to hear, and frightful to look
upon, were these twelve women, with their horns and their wheels; and
the mistress felt near to death, and she tried to rise that she might
call for help, but she could not move, nor could she utter a word or a
cry, for the spell of the witches was upon her.