Friendly Fairies

**Friendly Fairies** is a 1919 anthology of 15 short stories about magical creatures by Johnny Gruelle. Many characters appeared throughout various Raggedy Ann stories. The book is in public domain.

## Stories

### The Three Little Gnomes

Three little gnomes discover a young boy lost in the forest. They take him into their tree, feed him, put him to bed, and then go in search of his home. They follow a trail of wounded animals to a castle, where they ultimately return the boy. As a thank you for getting his son home safely, the King decrees that hunting is no longer permitted in the forest.

### The Happy Rattle

News quickly spreads that "*Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing else to do.*" The forest creatures get in a tizzy over the object, which turns out to be a rattle that Willie made to amuse Grumpy Grundy the Owl.

### Recipe for a Happy Day

Marjerie gets out of bed backwards, which starts her off having a miserable day. Soon she meets Merry Chuckle the Elf from Make Believe Land, who tells her that she's fallen under the spell of old Witchy Crosspatch, and helps to change her attitude.

### Grandfather Skeeter Hawk's Story

Johnny Cricket, Willie Ladybug, and Tommy Grasshopper are playing at the river when Grandfather Skeeter Hawk arrives to tell the story of how the prideful catfish got their heads flattened by picking a fight with an elk.

### Crow Talk

Granny feeds Dickie Dorn a purple elixir that gives him the ability to understand the crows. The birds reveal the whereabouts of bottomless magical boxes of golden pennies, candy, and ice cream, so Dickie shares with his friends, family and the community.

### The Fairy Ring

An old street violinist is penniless and can't get anyone to notice him. One night, an old woman is captivated by his performance and pays him with an iron ring. Distraught to learn that it isn't a gold coin, the old man plays childhood songs as his sister fidgets with the ring, which transforms them into children and transports them to a forest populated by Fairies, elves, sprites, and even their childhood pals.

### Mr. and Mrs. Thumbkins

Thumbkins asks various woodland creatures if they've seen his missing wife before he finds her enslaved and forced to cook pancakes by Old Man Hoppy Toad.

### The Old Rough Stone and the Gnarled Old Tree

From the time that the tree is a seed, the stone can do nothing but complain aboit'it. When the tree is finally gone, the stone misses it.

### Sally Migrundy

A message in a bottle opens a new chapter in life for a kind elderly fairy who begins taking in orphans.

### How Johnny Cricket Saw Santa Claus

The Cricket family moves into a chimney for the winter.

### The Twin Sisters

Katrinka Sunshine teaches twin sister Maltida Grouch the power of positivity by switching places, and soon, the townspeople can't tell them apart.

### Little Thumbkins' Good Deed

Momma Meadowlark keeps little Thumbkins warm and dry, so he returns the favor by planting a mushroom to provide her protection.

### The Wishbone

A boastful magic Wishbone comes into the kitchen, but after the kids break it, the household objects realize that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

### Tim Tim Tamytam

When the tree that they live in is destroyed, Tim Tim and Tum Tum Tamytam find a new tree to live in alongside Mr. & Mrs. Tom Tom Teenie Weenie.

### A Change of Coats

Two little gnomes trick a crab and a lobster into a pot of boiling water.

## Characters

* Johnny Cricket
* Timmy Grasshopper
* Willie Ladybug
* Timothy Toad
* Tilly Toad
* Eddie Elf
* Gerty Gartersnake
* Wally Woodpecker
* Billy Bumblebee
* Willie Woodchuck
* Winnie Woodchuck
* Grumpy Grundy the owl
* Grandfather Skeeter Hawk
* Merry Chuckle the Elf
* Witchy Crosspatch
* Marjorie
* Dickie Dorn
* Granny Dorn
* Daddy Dorn
* Mommy Dorn
* Grampa Tobaccyworm
* Thumbkins
* Mrs. Thumbkins
* Old Man Hoppytoad
* Sally Migrundy
* Momma Cricket
* Poppa Cricket
* Grampa Cricket
* Teeny Cricket
* Santa Claus
* Aunt Katydid
* Matilda
* Katrinka
* Momma Meadowlark
* Tim Tim Tamytam
* Tum Tum Tamytam
* Tom Tom Teenie Weenie
* Mrs. Teenie Weenie
* Mrs. Fuzzytail
* Charlie Chipmunk
* T.T. Tubbytree

## Trivia

* Numerous woodland characters went on to appear in Gruelle's 1922 newspaper serial, "The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy." Also, the Raggedies invited Johnny Cricket to live in the family's chimney, implying that it was in Marcella's house where he saw Santa Claus.
* In Raggedy Ann Stories, it was remarked that Marcella was cross after getting out of bed backwards, which Gruelle elaborated on in "Recipe for a Happy Day."
* Sally Migrundy went on to appear in the "Raggedy Ann + Andy" comics.

## External Links

* Project Guterberg - eBook
* Librivox - Audio Book