It's the summer of 1668 in central Sweden.

12-year-old Yertrude walks her goats along the banks of the Dala River.

It would be a peaceful, relaxing walk if it wasn't for the 10-year-old boy trailing along the path behind her.

Matt swipes petulantly at the reeds.

He's from the same village as Yertrude, but he's bored and frustrated that he's been forced to join her on her chores.

Yertrude shoots him a look, hoping to get him to stop, but all this does is spur Matt's on.

He lashes out at the nearest goat, causing the animal to dart away and into the river.

Yertrude shouts at Matt's to go after it, but he refuses, sneering that looking after the goats

is her drawn. Yertrude can see the goat struggling in the water, trying to pull itself up onto a slippery rock.

And if the goat drowns, Yertrude knows she'll get a beating.

So scowling at mats, she hitches up her dress and wades into the water.

She grabs the flailing goat around the neck and carries it back to the bank.

The goat bleats happily as its feet touches dry land and it rushes off to join the rest of the herd.

Yertrude then clamors onto the bank herself.

Squeezing the water from her skirt, she hisses insults at Mats for his stupidity.

But Mats quickly thinks of some hurtful words of his own.

He calls Yertrude a witch, who only reached the goat so easily because she used her evil powers.

Hearing this, Yertrude has had enough.

She leaps at Mats, but the boy springs back and dashes away.

And as he runs down the path, he gleefully shouts that he's going to tell everyone in the village

what Yertrude has done

using her witchcraft.

...