Raggedy Ann's Magical Wishes

**Raggedy Ann's Magical Wishes** is a 1928 novel written and illustrated by Johnny Gruelle.

## Synopsis

Marcella leaves Raggedy Ann and Andy in the playhouse, and they sneak off to go on an adventure. Raggedy Ann has a wishing pebble inside her stuffing, which she uses to wish up two magic bicycles for them to ride off on. They reach the house of a little old man named Meepy, who welcomes them in and they wish up a table-full of cakes and goodies to eat. Gruffy Bear smells the food and breaks down the door to demand they share, but each time he does, Andy wrestles him out the door and throws him into the nearby creek.

Raggedy Ann and Andy show Meepy where to find the cookie bushes and strawberry flavored spring, and they’re enjoying their snack when they hear a four-armed Snoopwiggy trying to steal their bikes. Gruffy Bear tells it to leave them alone, and when that doesn’t work he wrestles the creature into the creek. Gruffy Bear tells the dolls that the stream washed off all his grumpiness, and to now call him Grinny Bear, and the dolls invite him over for cookies.

But the Snoopwiggy comes back, and attempts to scare them away from the cookie bushes and strawberry stream so he can have them all for himself. Grinny Bear scares him off, and he returns with his friend the Wiggysnoop. Andy wrestles both of them, wins, and the dolls give them cookies, water, and a lecture on sharing. The two decide they must share the treats with the entire woods, and plan a parade.

The festivities are interrupted by a hunter, so the Snoopwiggy and Wiggysnoop scare him off and make him drop his gun, as well as the hunters who return to get it. As thanks, Raggedy Ann wishes for enough bicycles for everyone.

Old Mr. Hocus the magician sneaks up on them, but they push him into the stream and ride off. The Snoopwiggy, having four legs and two arms, is unable to ride the bike and is captured by Mr. Hocus and forced to be his maid. Ann tricks him and frees the Snoopwiggy, but he is soon captured again. Ann decides they will offer a trade, and uses the wishing pebble to make a large feast appear on Mr. Hocus’ table, and for all of them to be invited. Softened by the good food and company, Mr. Hocus tells them he’s not actually magic, which Ann offers to fix and wishes that he could be a real magician. He tests his magic by making his beard grow into a proper long wizard beard, but it doesn’t stop until it’s longer than he is tall. He tries again, but only manages to turn it green.

They head off to a witch to get it fixed, but she reveals the spell was of her own doing as she doesn’t want Mr. Hocus to have any magic. She makes the dolls grow beards as well, but they cleverly trick her into removing them. They leave and wish for a picnic, which draws the attention of a little man who offers to help cut the unruly whiskers. He succeeds by finding a loophole in the spell.

To thank him the magician makes a carnival appear, drawing the witch who is now remorseful. Ann fixes her magic safety pin for her, and the witch wishes for the old man to be young again, just as Ann wishes the same thing for her. The magician and the witch decide to get married, and their wedding is filled with lots of treats and fun things wished up by Ann and her friends. Last of all, they wish up a town for all their friends to live in, on an invisible island they name Raggedy Island. Realizing via the wishing pebble that Marcella is looking for them, the dolls wish themselves back into the playhouse.

## Characters

* Raggedy Ann
* Raggedy Andy
* Gruffy Bear/Grinny Bear
* Mr. Meepy
* Snoopwiggy
* Wiggysnoop
* Mr. Hocus
* The Witch