Hogfather - Fear

“Oh, I am real, dear,” said the old woman, as her outline changed. “The candlestick wasn’t.”

Susan looked down at the new shape.

“Nope,” she said. “It’s horrible, but it doesn’t frighten me. No, nor does that.” It changed again, and again. “No, nor does my father. Good grief, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren’t you? I like spiders. Snakes don’t worry me. Dogs? No. Rats are fine, I like rats. Sorry, is anyone frightened of that?”

She grabbed at the thing and this time the shape stayed. It looked like a small, wizened monkey, but with big deep eyes under a brow overhanging like a balcony. Its hair was gray and lank. It struggled weakly in her grasp, and wheezed.

“I don’t frighten easily,” said Susan, “but you’d be amazed at how angry I can become.”

***

Hogfather - p318