Edith Nesbit

The Magic World Edith Nesbit

The Magic World is an influential collection of twelve short stories by E. Nesbit are typical of Nesbit's arch, ironic, clever fantasies for children."The Cat-hood of Maurice" - a boy abuses the family cat, and learns to see things from the feline point of view."The Mixed Mine" - two boys find a magic spyglass, and use it to make their fortunes."Accidental Magic" - Quentin falls asleep on the altarstone at Stonehenge, and wakes in Atlantis."The Princess and the Hedge-pig" - King Ozymandias and Queen Eliza plan a secret christening for their Princess Ozyliza, to avoid a wicked fairy's curse. Things go awry."Septimus Septimusson" - he is the seventh son of a seventh son, who can see fairies and hear the beasts speak; and he must seek his fortune."The White Cat" - a boy finds a china ornament in the attic; it proves to be a magic talisman. Nesbit's little girls tend to get in trouble over their efforts at gardening. Elsie in "Justnowland" uproots turnip plants she mistakes for weeds; Amabel cuts chrysanthemum blossoms from a greenhouse and tries to plant them in a flower bed. Stories in the collection feature talking animals and human/animal transformation, with implications regarding animal welfare and avoidance of mistreatment. The opening story is the most explicit in its message against cruelty to animals.