The Fairy and the Witch

In Short

This is a brief, staged allegory designed for school or community performance during the Hallowe'en season. The plot follows a confrontation between a malevolent Black Witch and a benevolent White Fairy, representing the struggle between malevolence and virtue. Through a series of magical challenges and the eventual intervention of innocent children, the play transforms a scene of dark, ritualistic threat into one of reconciliation and light. Its enduring value lies in its earnest attempt to reclaim a holiday of "evil omen" for the purpose of community celebration and moral instruction.

The Story

The play opens in a forest clearing where the Black Witch, a figure of ancient malice, prepares a foul brew in her cauldron. She attempts to summon her familiar spirits—an owl, a cat, a raven, a snake, and a jackal—but finds herself mysteriously abandoned by all of them. Terrified by this loss of influence, she calls upon her two sluggish imps, Erebus and Noctis, to assist her in a final act of dark magic. Their efforts, however, are constantly thwarted by the White Fairy and her two messengers, Mirth and Jollity, who haunt the Witch’s footsteps and disrupt her rituals with playful mockery.

When the Witch finally manages to gather her imps to chant an incantation—a song detailing the ingredients of "witches' oil," such as envy, malice, and backbiting—the White Fairy intervenes. She stands before the cauldron and reveals that the light glowing within it is not the result of the Witch’s dark arts, but rather a manifestation of her own power. The Witch, realizing her authority has been usurped, attempts to strike the Fairy with her Black Rod. The Fairy easily disarms her, breaking the rod into pieces and casting a final spell that causes the Witch to fall into a deep, eternal sleep.

The Witch dies, and the Fairy summons the local children to celebrate the redemption of Hallowe’en, declaring it a "hallowed evening" dedicated to their joy. However, the children, seeing the body of the fallen Witch, are moved by a sense of tragedy. They plead with the Fairy to show mercy, asking her to restore the Witch to life. The Fairy, touched by the children’s compassion, agrees but sets strict conditions: the Witch can no longer dwell in the spirit world of evil. She is transformed into a mortal man, stripped of her dark power, and tasked with living a life of kindness and devotion to the children who saved her. The play concludes with a joyous dance, as the former Witch, now a reformed mortal, joins the Fairy and the children in a symbolic triumph of goodness.

How It Unfolds

The invocation of darkness The Black Witch enters the forest, attempting to summon her traditional creatures of evil to perform a ritual. When her companions fail to appear, she grows increasingly desperate and alarmed, fearing that her long-held power is slipping away.

The fairy intervention The White Fairy and her messengers, Mirth and Jollity, arrive to systematically disrupt the Witch’s work. Through pantomime and supernatural influence, the fairies render the Witch’s imps sluggish and ineffective, turning her attempts at intimidation into farce.

The clash of powers The Witch attempts a final, desperate incantation, but the White Fairy reveals that the magic is under her own control. The confrontation culminates in the breaking of the Witch’s rod, a symbol of her authority, leading to her swift demise.

The plea for mercy Upon witnessing the death of their enemy, the children express a desire for peace and ask the Fairy to grant the Witch a second chance. The Fairy, responding to their innocence, restores the Witch to life, albeit in a humbled, mortal form.

A new beginning The reformed character pledges his service to the children and the Fairy. The play closes on a note of reconciliation, with the entire cast joining in a communal dance to celebrate the triumph of light.

The People

The White Fairy serves as the moral anchor of the play. She desires to purge the world of ancient, archaic malice and replace it with a "hallowed" brightness. She is poised and confident, though capable of being swayed by the empathy of those she protects.

The Black Witch is the antagonist, defined by a desire to maintain "night and darkness." She represents the archetype of the old, unredeemable ego. Her transformation—losing her feminine, spiritual identity to become a grateful "mortal man"—serves as the ultimate humbling of her previous arrogance.

Mirth and Jollity act as the Fairy’s agents. They are lighthearted and nimble, functioning primarily as foils to the lumbering, slow-moving imps. Their presence highlights the play’s core belief that laughter and joy are the most effective weapons against darkness.

Erebus and Noctis are the "imps of darkness." They are characterized by their lethargy and inability to function in the face of the Fairy’s influence. Their role is to provide a physical manifestation of the Witch’s waning power; as she weakens, they become literally unable to stand or act.

In Its Own Voice

"Supreme above all good in the Spirit World, tonight on mundane earth."

The Black Witch declares her intentions at the start of the play, establishing her role as a force of disruption.

"Thy lips are silent now forever."

The White Fairy delivers this somber judgment over the Witch before the children intervene to advocate for her soul.

What It's Really About

The play functions as a moral allegory concerning the nature of evil and the capacity for redemption. It suggests that darkness is not a permanent state but a "torpid" or stagnant condition that can be overcome by the "light" of joy and communal celebration. The central argument is that the true meaning of Hallowe'en should be reclaimed from its associations with terror and malice, transforming it into a "hallowed" time for children. By shifting the Witch from a spirit of evil to a mortal man bound to serve children, the text argues that mercy is a more powerful tool than destruction, and that goodness must be an active, inclusive choice that involves the entire community.

Why Read It Today

This text will appeal most to readers interested in the history of amateur theatricals or those looking for a glimpse into the didactic, moralizing tone of early 20th-century children's entertainment. It is a very short, functional script, intended for a specific, practical purpose, and it maintains a rhythmic, almost chant-like quality throughout.

Reading it today is an exercise in period immersion. You will encounter language that feels distinctly performative, characterized by formal, high-flown addresses and a clear, unwavering line between good and evil. The play is not complex; it is a straightforward morality tale meant to be staged simply. Readers should be aware that the script reflects the gender expectations of 1915, particularly in its specific instructions regarding the "effective" casting of a male actor in the role of the witch to achieve a "stronger anti-climax." While the dialogue can feel overly earnest, there is something undeniably charming about its earnest belief that a simple play, a bit of music, and a collective act of kindness can "blight the world" no longer. It leaves you with a sense of the simplicity of the era’s theatrical ambitions and a reminder of how frequently early century literature used the trope of the "reformed villain" to satisfy a need for a happy, harmonious conclusion.