all the little old women were sitting on their white chucky stones busy at work , only they seemed far uglier than they had seemed at first ; and maisie noticed that the reason for this was , that , instead of wearing red skirts and white mutches as they had done before , they now wore caps and dresses of dull grey , and instead of looking happy , they all seemed to be trying who could look most miserable , and who could push out their long lips furthest , as they wet their fingers to draw the thread from their distaffs . " save us and help us ! what a lot of hideous old witches , " exclaimed her husband . " whatever could this funny old woman mean by bringing a pretty child like thee to look at them ? thou wilt dream of them for a week and a day . just look at their lips " ; and , pushing maisie behind him , he went up to one of them and asked her what had made her mouth grow so ugly .
they now wore caps and dresses of dull grey , and instead of looking happy , they all seemed to be trying who could look most miserable .
what did maisie notice about the little old women ?
what did maisie notice about the little old women ?