This short scene is taken from an early draft of the story, in which things started quite differently. I originally spent more time exploring life in and around the village of Old Stump before the giant drops in and shakes things up; in fact, he didn’t turn up until chapter 4! It’s a scene that showcases Anwen’s and Eira’s daily life as Meadow Witches – Anwen is trying to raise the alarm about a missing farmer (called Cai) but Eira is busy helping customers. It was fun to write, but it was slowing the pace, so had to go.

Another major difference between this draft and the final book is the fact that Anwen and Eira live, not in a cottage, but on a small houseboat called Cartref (meaning Home in Welsh). They were nomads, moving across a rural landscape called the Pold via a network of reens – man-made waterways used for draining agricultural land. I based the Pold on the very real landscape of the Gwent Levels – an ancient, low-lying area here in south Wales.

One final note – Eira refers to Anwen as bach, a Welsh term of endearment meaning little one. It’s pronounced like the surname of the composer, Johan Sebastian Bach.