The Witches was written by Roald Dahl and published in 1983. The novel tells the story of an unnamed young boy (in the film adaptation he is called Luke), who is told a number of stories by his grandma about children who have mysteriously disappeared after encountering witches. The stories include one about a young girl, who vanished after encountering a witch and became trapped inside a painting, where she grew old until she eventually disappeared from it.
The grandmother tells the boy how to recognise a witch: A witch will have a bald head disguised by a wig, toeless feet and will find the smell of a child repulsive. She also tells the boy about the Grand High Witch, who is the leader of the witches. Later, when the boy is in his treehouse, he encounters a witch. He recognises that she is a witch as she is wearing gloves, which all witches wear to disguise the talons on their hands. The witch attempts to lure him down, but quickly disappears after the frightened boy calls for his grandma.
Later, the boy’s grandmother becomes ill and they end up staying in a hotel in England. The boy decides to train his pet mice and takes them to a convention room. Whilst there, the room fills up with members of the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children, who have come for a meeting. The boy hides and realises that the people are not the RSPCC, but in fact witches who are posing as members of the charity.
The boy watches as the witches remove their wigs, gloves, and shoes. He listens as the Grand High Witch expresses her frustration and anger at the other witches, who have failed to eliminate all the children in England. She tells them that they are to purchase sweet shops using counterfeit money and give children free chocolate that is covered in Formula 86, a concoction that will turn any child that consumes it into a mouse. The Grand High Witch tells the other witches that after the children have eaten the chocolate, the formula will take effect the next day when the children are at school. There, the children will turn into mice and be eliminated by teachers who will believe that the school is infested.
A boy named Bruno Jenkins enters the convention room. He has been promised free chocolate by the Grand High Witch. She gives him the chocolate and he transforms into a mouse. As the meeting comes to a close, the witches notice an unpleasant smell. Since they find the smell of children repulsive, they realise that a child is in the same room. They find the boy and feed him the formula, turning him into a mouse.
The boy goes back to his grandma and tells her what has happened. Later, they manage to obtain a bottle of the formula and lace some soup that has been reserved for the witches for dinner. One by one, the witches begin to transform into mice. The story ends with the boy and his grandma planning to transform all of the remaining witches.
The grandmother tells the boy how to recognise a witch: A witch will have a bald head disguised by a wig, toeless feet and will find the smell of a child repulsive. She also tells the boy about the Grand High Witch, who is the leader of the witches. Later, when the boy is in his treehouse, he encounters a witch. He recognises that she is a witch as she is wearing gloves, which all witches wear to disguise the talons on their hands. The witch attempts to lure him down, but quickly disappears after the frightened boy calls for his grandma.
Later, the boy’s grandmother becomes ill and they end up staying in a hotel in England. The boy decides to train his pet mice and takes them to a convention room. Whilst there, the room fills up with members of the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children, who have come for a meeting. The boy hides and realises that the people are not the RSPCC, but in fact witches who are posing as members of the charity.
The boy watches as the witches remove their wigs, gloves, and shoes. He listens as the Grand High Witch expresses her frustration and anger at the other witches, who have failed to eliminate all the children in England. She tells them that they are to purchase sweet shops using counterfeit money and give children free chocolate that is covered in Formula 86, a concoction that will turn any child that consumes it into a mouse. The Grand High Witch tells the other witches that after the children have eaten the chocolate, the formula will take effect the next day when the children are at school. There, the children will turn into mice and be eliminated by teachers who will believe that the school is infested.
A boy named Bruno Jenkins enters the convention room. He has been promised free chocolate by the Grand High Witch. She gives him the chocolate and he transforms into a mouse. As the meeting comes to a close, the witches notice an unpleasant smell. Since they find the smell of children repulsive, they realise that a child is in the same room. They find the boy and feed him the formula, turning him into a mouse.
The boy goes back to his grandma and tells her what has happened. Later, they manage to obtain a bottle of the formula and lace some soup that has been reserved for the witches for dinner. One by one, the witches begin to transform into mice. The story ends with the boy and his grandma planning to transform all of the remaining witches.
