The Donkey, or How One Clever Witch Made an Ass of Herself
The accused was cast into the dark shed to face “The Test.” Inside, the soot-covered donkey awaited her touch. If the hag emerged with palms darkened, it would be deemed a sign of guilt and she would be consigned to the guillotine. If she emerged with clean hands, she would be condemned anyway.
They would say, “Her refusal to touch the donkey proves the witch’s guilt.”
So to the guillotine an innocent went, confused and fearful until the blade fell.
That night in a barn stall, no one saw the silhouette of a donkey make a fearful transformation into that of a hag. She soundlessly left the barn, disappearing forever into the darkness.