Witches Abroad

Title: Witches Abroad
Author: Terry Pratchett
Published: 1991
Genre: Humour Fantasy
Pages: 212 in the Witches Trilogy Omnibus version


The Library Fairy was good to me a few weeks back: I found a pile of books to read, including the next in line for the Witches-books in the Discworld epic. Yay! I read Witches Abroad when it came out in Finnish, and basically remembered of it only that it concerns fairytales, and that Gollum gets whacked with a paddle. My favourite bit.

Fairy Godmother/witch Desiderata kicks the bucket, and passes her magic wand to Magrat, with the instructions that the poor girl should not marry the prince, and that under no circumstances should Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg come with Magrat to make sure of it. So of course all three jump on their brooms and head towards Genua, visiting many exciting places on the way, creating excitement and new legends for the locals.

There's fairytales and strange foreign customs and foods all around. Genua also sounds very much like New Orleans with its carneval and voodoo magic. Oh, and a nice absinthe-adventure with bulls!


   Above the noise of the river and the occasional drip of water from the ceiling they could all hear, now, the steady slosh-slosh of another craft heading towards them. 
   'Someone's following us!' hissed Magrat.
   Two pale glows appeared at the edge of the lamplight. Eventually they turned out to be the eyes of a small grey creature, vaguely froglike, paddling towards them on a log.
   It reached the boat. Long clammy fingers grabbed the side, and a lugubrious face rose level with Nanny Ogg's.
   ' 'ullo,' it said. 'It'sss my birthday.'
   All three of them stared at it for a while. Then Granny Weatherwax picked up an oar and hit it firmly over the head. There was a splash, and a distant cursing. 
   'Horrible little bugger,' said Granny, as they rowed on. 'Looked like a troublemaker to me.'
   'Yeah,' said Nanny Ogg. 'It's the slimy ones you have to watch out for.'
   'I wonder what he wanted?' said Magrat.