"The Crucible" - Key Moments - Act 3

The "Yellow Bird" episode

At this point Abiagil screams and claims that there is a bird on the beam above and that it is attempting to attack her. She speaks to the bird as though it is or has been sent by Mary. When Mary tries to stop her, Abigail repeats Mary's words, "Abby, you musn't!". Abigail's power is once more evident as she goes on to control the girls psychologically just as much as she did physically an Act 1. The other girls soon join Abigail in mimicking Mary.

The girls flee from the yellow bird taht they say is attacking. This so frightens Mary that she runs to the group of girls and is immediatley comforted by them. Proctor's attempts to persuade the court that the girls are merely pretending are thwarted when Mary cries out "you're the Devil's man!". She further claims that Proctor tried to make her sign the Devil's book. Proctor is arrested and accused of being "combined with anti-Christ". Hale denounces the court and leaves with Danforth angrily calling after him.