After a concerning visit from the Black Suited Man, Grandmamma revealed to the boy the chilling truth about real witches and how to recognize them. She explained that unlike the wicked witches portrayed in fairy tales, real witches look exactly like ordinary women, making them incredibly difficult and dangerous to spot. However, Grandmamma, having extensive knowledge of these malevolent beings, imparted crucial tell-tale signs to the boy.
Understanding the True Nature of Witches
Grandmamma emphasized that the most dangerous aspect of witches is their ability to blend seamlessly into human society. They are master deceivers, appearing charming and benevolent, but beneath their facade lies a deep-seated hatred for children. Her lessons were vital for the boy's survival, as he was now tasked with identifying these disguised threats.
To help the boy understand, Grandmamma detailed several specific characteristics that distinguish real witches from ordinary women. These traits are carefully hidden by the witches to maintain their disguise.
Key Characteristics of Real Witches
Grandmamma's comprehensive guide to identifying a witch included several physical peculiarities they possess, which they go to great lengths to conceal:
- Claws instead of fingernails: Real witches do not have normal fingernails. Instead, they possess sharp, reptilian-like claws. They hide these by always wearing gloves, even indoors, regardless of the weather.
- Baldness: Witches are completely bald, without a single strand of hair on their heads. To disguise this, they wear sophisticated, high-quality wigs that often cause them to break out in an irritating rash, forcing them to constantly scratch their heads.
- Square-ended feet with no toes: Unlike humans, witches have feet that are square-ended and completely lacking toes. This unique foot shape often makes it difficult for them to walk gracefully, giving them a somewhat peculiar gait. They conceal this by wearing elegant, pointed shoes.
- Large nostrils and a bluish tinge to their spit: Witches have slightly larger nostrils than humans, and their saliva, when they spit, often has a faint bluish tinge.
- Eyes that change color: A witch's eyes can appear to have flecks of fire in them, and their pupils can change shape.
- A powerful sense of smell for children: Most importantly, witches possess an incredibly acute sense of smell, specifically for children. To them, children smell like "dog's droppings," and they can detect a child's presence from a considerable distance. The cleaner a child is, the more potent and offensive their scent is to a witch.
By arming the boy with this critical information, Grandmamma equipped him with the knowledge necessary to navigate a world where evil lurked beneath an ordinary surface, thereby protecting him from the witches' sinister plans.
