The Informer’s Betrayal

This flow follows how ordinary suspicion becomes denunciation and sets off the violence that forces a family into flight.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Question in the Woods

A Question in the Woods A suspicious encounter Wood-Alcohol Distiller meets Poor Woodcutter’s Wife and the little girl in the undergrowth. He asks where the child came from, and the woman claims she is her own. Knowledge kept back The distiller studies them, then leaves politely. The scene makes clear that the family’s secret has become visible to someone connected to Poor Woodcutter’s workplace.

The Visit Before Dawn

The Visit Before Dawn A false appearance of routine Wood-Alcohol Distiller returns with two armed men. Poor Woodcutter initially denies the accusation and says the undocumented girl is his daughter. The trap closes Under threat, he confesses to sheltering her but asks to hand her over quietly. His request aims to protect the child and his wife from the sight of rifles, but it places him face-to-face with the betrayer.

The Ax Against the Informer

The Ax Against the Informer A sudden reversal When the girl reaches toward him, Poor Woodcutter grabs his ax and attacks Wood-Alcohol Distiller. The staged handover becomes a defense of the child he once wanted to abandon. Violence carries a cost He strikes at the militiamen as well, buying his wife time to escape. The rescue is possible only through deadly violence, and the violence leaves the family without its home or protector.

Flight Through the Forest

Flight Through the Forest A mother carrying her child Poor Woodcutter’s Wife runs with the child wrapped in the Prayer shawl. She feels pursuit closing in but cannot stop to grieve for Poor Woodcutter. A path toward safety The Foxes seem to lead her into the dense grove. She calls for sanctuary from the Man with the Goat and Shattered Face, turning the earlier milk bargain into a refuge in crisis.

The Child Beyond Their Reach

The Child Beyond Their Reach Protection rebuilt The Man with the Goat and Shattered Face hides the fugitives in his garden and provides the girl with a nursing goat. The immediate pursuit does not reach them. An escape bought at a price Poor Woodcutter is dead, and the old household has ended. Yet the informer’s betrayal fails in its aim: the girl remains alive, cared for by the woman who chose her.

After the girl begins to walk

Shortly before dawn, some years after the adoption

The moment the armed men enter the cabin

Immediately after the cabin attack

After the forest man welcomes the fugitives