
In the fading light of a primeval forest that borders early Salem, a shy young maid makes her way home, her modest linen cap and woolen stockings standing out against the wild trees. A chance meeting on a massive fallen log introduces a larger‑than‑life cavalier, his jeweled sword and plumed hat marking him as a figure of authority.
The maid mentions Goody Jones, a woman awaiting execution for witchcraft, and recounts eerie sightings—horses with plaited manes and an owl‑like shape that vanishes at night. The cavalier, seasoned by distant travels and familiar with plague, offers a warning wrapped in folk wisdom, urging the child to guard her conscience against unseen darkness.
The tale weaves the strict Puritan worldview with the lingering fear of witchcraft, painting a vivid picture of a community teetering on panic. Listeners are drawn into a world where every rustle in the woods might hide a secret, and innocence must navigate the shadows of early colonial hysteria.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (298K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Mary Glenn Krause, Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2020-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1873–1956
A prolific writer of historical fiction for young readers, she turned early American settings into lively adventures. Her books often blend careful period detail with an easy storytelling style that keeps the past close at hand.
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