Madame Zeroni is an old Egyptian gypsy storyteller. She is dark-skinned and has a wide mouth. Because she has no left foot, she uses a wheelchair. She is a compassionate woman, and yet she is also realistic. Madame Zeroni wants to help Elya Yelnats when he tells her about wanting to marry Myra Menke; however, Madame Zeroni is direct with Elya. She tells him that the girl’s head is empty, that she is foolish and spoiled. And then she spits on the dirt (the same way Zero spits in each hole after he finishes digging). She gives Elya a piglet and specific instructions about what he needs to do in order to ensure that the pig will be large enough to win Myra’s hand in marriage. Because Elya does not follow her instructions, Madame Zeroni puts a curse on him and on future generations of Yelnats.
