Summary

The opening is an introduction in which Katharina Kepler says this is a true account of events. The account is meant to help her remember exactly what happened and as an assertion that she is “not a witch, never have been a witch, am no relative to witches” (3). Since she cannot read or write, her neighbor Simon Satler is writing this for her. As a child, Katharina's family had a cow named Mare. Mare kicked her, and Katharina called the cow “fat-kidneyed.” The cow got sick and died. As a child, Katharina feared she was responsible. As an adult, she knows that is not true. The accusations against her as an adult include being able to pass through locked doors and to kill or cure at will. She says she cannot even win playing backgammon against Simon. She knows she could face torture...