The Wee Free Men

First you get the test, and then afterward you spend years findin’ out how you passed it. It’s a bit like life in that respect.”

this where I learn about the witches’ school?” said Tiffany.
There was a moment of silence.
“Witches’ school?” said Mistress Weatherwax.
“Um,” said Miss Tick.
“You were being metapahorrical, weren’t you?” said Tiffany.
“Metapahorrical?” said Mrs. Ogg, wrinkling her forehead.
“She means metaphorical,” mumbled Miss Tick.
“It’s like stories,” said Tiffany. “It’s all right. I worked it out. This is the school, isn’t it? The magic place? The world. Here. And you don’t realize it until you look. Do you know the pictsies think this world is heaven? We just don’t look. You can’t give lessons on witchcraft. Not properly. It’s all about how you are . . . you, I suppose.”

Big women were valued on the Chalk. Farmers liked big wives. Farmwork was hard, and there was no call for a wife who couldn’t carry a couple of piglets or a bale of hay

The terror took her. But because she was Tiffany, she ran toward it, raising the pan.

Granny’s silence was warm, and brought you inside. Granny Aching might sometimes have had trouble remembering the difference between children and lambs, but in her silence you were welcome and belonged. All you had to bring was a silence of your own.

It was very unusual for Granny Aching to say more than a sentence. She used words as if they cost money.

She used words as if they cost money

She kept a diary in the dairy. Cheese needed to be kept track of, and she always wrote down details of the amount of butter she’d made and how much milk she’d been using.

Do you want to be turned into a frog?”
“Well, now, let me see . . .” said the toad sarcastically. “Better skin, better legs, likelihood of being kissed by a princess one hundred percent improved . . . why, yes. Whenever you’re ready, madam.”

“There’s a headless horseman after me!” she shouted.
“He’ll no’ make it, hinny. Stand ye still! Look him in the eye!”
“He hasn’t got any eyes!”
“Crivens! Are ye a hag or no’? Look him in the eyes he hasna got!”