The Little Witch

The Little Witch is a children’s book written by Otfried Preußler, first published in 1957. Since then, the book has been translated into 47 different languages. All editions include illustrations by Winnie Gebhardt-Gayler. Plot Together with her talking raven Abraxas, the Little Witch lives in a tiny warped house in the woods. Her biggest dream is to fly around the Blocksberg together with all the great witches. But one Walpurgis Night, when she tries to join the other witches without permission, she gets caught. As punishment the witches burn her broom but promise her, she will be allowed to participate at the next Walpurgis Night, if she has become a “Good Witch” until then. Over one year, the Little Witch tries her best to do good, help people in need, punish villains, save animals, she even makes new friends. When she comes before the witch council again, to show what a good witch she has become, it becomes clear, that in their opinion a good witch has to be good at being evil. The council plans on punishing her with the chore to collect firewood for the Walpurgis Night pyre. But the Little Witch gets her revenge instead with casting a spell on the great witches and taking their spell books and brooms away therefore rendering them powerless. She uses the books and brooms to make her own Walpurgis Night pyre.