Monday, August 4, 2008

tippity witchit

When I was little and ever and always the kind of child that believed anything and everything, Halloween was always tied in with this old southern saying. My mother would say it and then tighten down my buckram mask and send me out into a chill halloween night. Pretty soon the stiff and humiliatingly bad mask would go all icky about the mouth hole because i'd be chewing my lip between my begging for candy stops - just knowing that I'd be left outside the drifting throng and a sure and ready morsel for a witch- A very angry witch who resented poorly made buckram masks not at all in her image and one who didn't mind eating a sticky and chocolate laced little girl. It was also about this time that I read a little story that has stayed with me in a sort of hazy way. It is entitled "Tippity Witchit" and tells the story of a little kitten who wanders off only to fall prey to a witch who was going to use him as her familiar. I can't remember it all really, but I have the sense that morning came and with it his mother - or maybe she went searching for him as I would like to think. Anyway - it made an impression - daytime -good, nightime - bad, and for heaven's sake don't go off exploring at night because a witch could be just anywhere. Of course my little painting is of a happy and youthful witch dancing a jig with her somewhat less than enthusiastic little friend.

2 comments:

Margaret Dyer said...

Damn, girl. Why aren't you published? Why don't you self-publish?

Leslie said...

This is a favorite story of mine as well. While it likely is published elsewhere, I know it was published in the "My Book House" series, which is a collection of 12 books, each containing dozens of themed stories for that book. I can likely point you to a copy if you're interested.
Leslie