The Witches Summary. When the grandmother and the boy go on a holiday to a fancy hotel on the English coast, the boy encounters a group of witches gathering for their yearly meeting. He overhears the grand witch introducing her new invention, something she calls Formula 86, a potion to turn children into mice. Roald Dahl Collection, 15 Book Box Set has Fantastic Mr Fox, The Witches, The Twits, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, The Magic Finger, The Giraffe and the Pelly and me, Esio Trot, Boy Tales & Childhood, Matilda, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Danny the Champion of the World, George's Marvellous Medicine and Going SoloUndoubtedly the country's best loved children's author, Roald Dahl's stories continue to delight, excite, shock, entertain.
With each word she spoke, flecks of pale-blue phlegm shotfrom her mouth like little bullets.“I amasking you vye!” she screamed.Nobodyanswered her question.“Childrensmell!” she screamed. “They stink out the vurld! Vee do not vont these childrenaround here!”The baldheads in the audience all nodded vigorously.“Vun childa veek is no good to me!” The Grand High Witch cried out. “Is that the best youcan do?”“We will dobetter,” murmured the audience. “We will do much better.”“Better isno good either!” shrieked The Grand High Witch. “I demand maximum rrree-sults!So here are my orders! My orders are that every single child in this countryshall be rrrubbed out, sqvashed, sqvirted, sqvittered and frrrittered before Icome here again in vun year’s time!
Do I make myself clear?”A greatgasp went up from the audience. I saw the witches all looking at one anotherwith deeply trouble expressions. And I heard one witch at the end of the frontrow saying aloud, “ All of them! We can’t possible wipe out all ofthem!”The GrandHigh Witch whipped round as though someone had stuck a skewer into her bottom. “Whosaid that?” she snapped. “Who dares to argue with me?
It vos you, vos it not?”She pointed a gloved finger as sharp as a needle at the witch who had spoken.“I didn’tmean it, Your Grandness!” the witch cried out. “I didn’t mean to argue! I wasjust talking to myself!”“You daredto argue vith me!” screamed The Grand High Witch.“I was justtalking to myself!” cried the wretched witch. “I swear it, Your Grandness!” Shebegan to shake with fear.The GrandHigh Witch took a quick step forward, and when she spoke again, it was in avoice that made my blood run cold.“Astupid vitch who answers back.Mustburn until her bones are black!she screamed.“No, no!”begged the witch in the front row.
The Grand High Witch sent on,“Afoolish vitch vithout a brainMustsizzle in the fiery flame!”“Save me!”cried the wretched witch in the front row. The Grand High Witch took no noticeof her. She spoke again.“Anidiotic vitch like youMustrrroast upon the barbecue!”“Forgiveme, O Your Grandness!” cried the miserable culprit. “I didn’t mean it!” But TheGrand High Witch continued with her terrible recital.“Avitch who dared to say I’m wrrrongVillnot be vith us very long!”A moment later, a stream of sparks that looked like tinywhite-hot metal-filings came shooting out of The Grand High Witch’s eyes andflew straight towards the one who had dared to speak. I saw the sparks strikingagainst her and burrowing into her and she screamed a horrible howling scream anda puff of smoke rose up around her. I smell of burning meat filled the room.Nobodymoved. Like me, they were all watching the smoke, and when it had cleared away,the chair was empty.
I caught a glimpse of something wispy-white, like a littlecloud, fluttering upwards and disappearing out the window.A greatsigh rose up from the audience.The GrandHigh Witch glared around the room. “I hope nobody else is going to make mecross today,” she remarked.There was adeathly silence.“Frrrizzledlike a frrritter,” said The Grand High Witch.
“Cooked like a carrot. You villnever see her again. Now vee can get down to business.”Dahl,R. New York: Puffin Books.pp.