Next day happened to be market-day, and as Dame Goody had been away from home, she wanted many things in the house, and trudged[10] off to get them at the market. As she was buying the things she wanted, who should she see but the squinny-eyed old fellow who had taken her on the coal-black horse. And what do you think he was doing? He went about from stall to stall taking things from each, here some fruit, and there some eggs, and so on[11]; and no one seemed to take any notice.
Now Dame Goody did not think it her business to interfere, but she thought she ought not to let so good a customer pass without speaking. So she went to him and said: ‘Good day, sir, I hope as how your good lady and the little one are as well as – ’
But she couldn’t finish what she was saying, for the funny old fellow started back in surprise, and he says to her:
‘What! Do you see me today?’
‘See you,’ says she, ‘why, of course I do, as plain as the sun in the skies, and what’s more,’ says she, ‘I see you are busy, too, into the bargain.’
‘Ah, you see too much,’ said he; ‘now, with which eye do you see all this?’
‘With the right eye to be sure[12],’ said she, as proud as can be to find him out.
‘The ointment! The ointment!’ cried the old pixy thief. ‘Don’t meddle[13] with what don’t concern you: you shall see me no more.’ And with that he struck her on the right eye, and she couldn’t see him any more; and, what was worse, she was blind on the right side from that hour till the day of her death.