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Elsie the Witch single work   children's fiction   children's  
Issue Details: First known date: 1955... 1955 Elsie the Witch
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Story about a little girl, Anne, who tells a fib about her brother having broken the sugar bowl when in fact she did it herself. After being punished and expressing remorse, she goes to bed and is visited by a good witch in her dreams. The witch tells her that every person has a choice in how they behave, and that in order to be visited by the good witch instead of the bad witch, Anne must be truthful in future. However, the witch emphasises that Anne mustn't be too good, because 'girls who think they are so good that they get stuck-up about it may grow into nasty little prigs', but rather should be her 'natural, good, honest little self'.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Animal Talk and Other Stories for Boys and Girls Neville Smith , Melbourne : Cheshire , 1955 Z1500460 1955 selected work children's fiction children's 'Here are twenty-five stories that have escaped from life - that is, the kind of life that most normal Australian boys and girls lead. In them, everyday life become involved with strange things and happenings. Magic comes creeping in when least expected; fairies and sprites appear; animals and objects indulge in conversations; dreams take the oddest turns. But, though there may be a friendly lion in a story, or a sea maid, or a flame fairy who can only speak in rhyme, in every case the central person is a normal Australian girl or boy.' (Inside dust jacket) Melbourne : Cheshire , 1955 pg. 20-22
Last amended 19 Aug 2008 19:23:02
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