"Tell me something," I said, "of this strange land?"
"How much do you know?" she said. "Do you know that dreams are illusion?"
"Of course I do," I said, "Every one knows that."
"Oh no they don't," she said, "the mad don't know it?"
"That is true," I said.
"And do you know," she said, "that Life is illusion?"
"Of course it is not," I said, "Life is real, Life is earnest..."
At that both the witch and her cat (who had not moved from her old place by the hearth) burst into laughter. I stayed some time, for there was much that I wished to ask, but when I saw that the laughter would not stop I turned and went away.