HOW TO ATTRACT GOOD FAIRIESWhen you read my list, you might laugh, and think that I must have let your parents or teachers write this section! But it's true--getting the fairies to befriend you isn't so much about doing spells. It's about becoming the kind of person they like to be friends with! So, here are some suggestions:
Be kind and gentle to other living things, animals and plants.
Be polite to people (and fairies). Don't argue more than you *really* need to, share, don't call names, keep your promises, say please and thank you, and all those lovely things.
Keep yourself and your belongings clean. You don't have to be perfectly tidy all the time, but don't let your clothes or your room get too gross!
Find ways to be happy. Smile and laugh, and enjoy what is good in your life. If you can't be happy because something is seriously wrong in your life--like if you are being hurt by someone--try to find an adult who can help you.
Fairies love beauty and fun. They enjoy things like flower and herb gardens, stories, drawings, songs, plays, collections of pretty things or things from nature...if they find out that you like those things too, they will come to see your work!
Two important don'ts!
DON'T hurt anyone who isn't hurting you. And don't hurt yourself either.
DON'T be hateful to people who are different from you. After all, fairies are different too, so they take it personally!
HOW TO PREPARE TO BECOME A
GOOD WITCH
If you have read the history of Oz, you know that there have been witches here for a long time. Some have been good, and some have been bad. Good fairies are very friendly with good witches. In fact, Glinda, the most powerful witch in Oz, is one of my dearest friends. Since she tells me that there are now many witches out in the human world, and many people who want to become witches, I asked her if she had any advice she wanted to give them.
First she told me something that surprised me, but that you probably know. There are some people who believe that *all* witches are wicked, and that the magic they do is all wicked too. Glinda says that if you are young, and your parents are like this, you should wait until you are an adult before you try to learn any magic. Otherwise, you might get into a big fight with your parents about it, and nobody wants that to happen.
But don't be sad! Glinda also says that there are plenty of things to do and to learn besides magic, that will still help you be a good witch, if that's still what you want to do when you grow up. And here they are!
Glinda says that the list for how to attract good fairies is also helpful
for becoming a good witch. Here are more ideas from her.
Read books! This is one of Glinda's favorite things to do, as you can see. Not just books about fairies and witches--though we like those!--books about anything. Nature, history, astronomy, literature, math (did you know that there was a group in ancient Greece, the Pythagoreans, whose magic was all based on math? Nowadays, they take all the magic parts out and teach it as geometry!)...anything you like to read about. Reading newspapers and magazines is good too, so you can know what's going on in the world.
Go to museums. There you can see huge skeletons of animals that lived long ago, or beautiful art from all over the world, or you can learn about different cultures, or see why nature works the way it does. Some museums have a special kids' section where you can do your own experiments or see extra exhibits!
Go out into nature. Climb a tree, or go for a hike, go camping with friends. If you are quiet and pay attention, the energy of natural places can show you a great deal about being a good witch. Be careful, though, not to run off by yourself in a wild place, or go close to any strange animals! Our animal friends mean well, but we don't want them to mistake you for a dangerous hunter, or a tasty snack!
Take quiet time. Sometimes, it's good to be by yourself for a little while, and be quiet, and think. If you're allowed, it's fun to set up a special place to have your quiet time. There, you can read, or draw, or just think, or....
Keep a diary. This is something that witches do, so they won't forget their spells. They write down what they did, and whether it worked. Before you have any spells, it's still a good idea to keep a diary of what you're thinking and feeling. Keep it somewhere private! (Sadly, some people can't keep anything private like this in their homes. If you can't, don't worry--the diary can wait until you're grown if it has to.)
Learn how to cooperate with people. Glinda says that some witches always work alone, but most of them spend at least some time in a group called a Coven, which is where witches get together to learn and practice. This works much better if all the witches know how to get along with each other!
You've probably noticed that a lot of Glinda's suggestions come down to one thing...LEARN. I asked Glinda about this. She says that the first rule of magic is "To Know," so most witches are always eager to learn new things--so if you want to be a witch, it's good to get into the habit of learning.