From Harris: Goya's commentary - The goblins are the most industrious and obliging people there are. As the maid keeps them happy, they scour the pot, cook the vegetables, wash up, sweep and hush the child. It has often been disputed whether they are devils or not; don't let us deceive ourselves. Devils are those who spend their time doing harm, or hindering others from doing good, or doing nothing at all.
From Harris: Goya's commentary - 'Will you swear to obey and respect your masters and superiors, to sweet the garrets, to spin tow, to ring bells, to howl, to yell, to fly, to cook, to grease, to suck, to bake, to blow, to fry, everything and whatever time you are ordered to?' 'I swear.' 'Well then, my girl, you are now a witch. Congratulations.'
From Harris: Goya's commentary - The young woman left home as a little girl. She did her apprenticeship at Cadiz, she came to Madrid: there she 'won the lottery'. She goes down to the Prado, and hears a grimy, decrepit woman begging her for alms; she sends her away, the old woman persists. the fashionable young woman turns round and finds - who would have thought it - that the poor woman is her mother.
From Harris: Goya's commentary - Now this is another kind of people. Happy, playful, obliging; a little greedy, fond of playing practical jokes; but they are very good-natured little men.