Humbug Witch
Scott Bahlmann
adapted from the story by Lorna Balian
There was this little witch... All of her was little except her nose. That was very Big. She had long, stringy, red hair. It was so long she kept tripping over it. She wore a slightly squashed, tall, black, pointed hat like Witches always wear, orange gloves, a handknit black wool shawl, an old plaid apron, and funny-looking black shoes with gold buckles on them.
She had a good sturdy broom, and a black cat named Fred.
You can see for yourself...she was truly a frightening-looking, Horrible, Witchy, Witch!
But... when she tried to Do things they never worked the way they were supposed to for witches.
Like when she wanted to laugh wickedly and scare everyone it never soudned "Cackle-Cackle-Cackle." It always sounded "Giggle-Giggle-Giggle."
Or when she wanted to go somewhere she would climb on her good sturdy broom and say all sorts of magic words, and wait a few minutes... and Nothing would happen. Nothing at all. The broom would not move an inch.
And when she wanted to turn Fred into an alligator, or a hippopotamus, or a candy bar, and would say all kinds of magic words, and wait... and wait... but Fred just stayed a cat!
When she wanted to cook up a batch of magic potion, she would dump all the very best things in her very best kettle ...things like Sour Milk, Molasses, Egg Shells, Apple Peelings, Genuine Rainwater, and Peanut Butter. And she would stir and stir and say all the magic words she could think of.
It never got smoky, or bubbly, or exploded like magic potions are supposed to do.
She finally decided it was just no use! She took off her funny-looking black shoes with the gold buckles.
She took off her plaid apron.
She took off her handknit black wool shawl.
She took off her slightly squashed Tall Black Pointed hat.
She took off her orange gloves.
She took off her long, stringy, red hair.
She took off her mask. And went to bed.
And so did Fred.
Library Village is hosting this week’s Flannel Friday Halloween Extravaganza! To find out more about Flannel Friday, check out the website.