The optional authorities

Mrs Bookworm (The librarian responsible for the cookie cupboard) – Although I try to be helpful, a lot of the children are afraid of me. I think it is because I am always telling them to be quiet in the library. But my bark is worse than my bite. I really love children. Dress suggestion: Spectacles, a chain around your neck with a key attached but hidden inside your blouse. A dress or skirt and blouse, but make sure whatever you wear has large pockets stuffed full of things.

Miss Marple (from Agatha Christie novels) – I am just an ordinary woman with a penchant for finding out the truth. Nothing goes unnoticed by me. Things are not what they seem. Dress suggestions: Old-fashioned clothes – very prim and proper. Carry your knitting.

The optional witnesses

Queen of Hearts (from Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll) Oh there is so much to tell – all about the tea cups and my shouting “Off with his head! or “Off with her head” and all the other people Alice met in Wonderland, but it would take too long. Alice comes into the library and looks at the children’s books. Dress suggestions: Wear white & stick big red cardboard hearts on your clothes.

The Fairy Godmother (from Cinderella) After working all day on her chores, Cinderella often wondered if she would ever be happy again. The ladies of her household were invited to the Duke’s ball. But Cinderella’s step-mother said she could not go unless her chores were done. Fortunately, I came to Cinderella’s aid and – well, you all know the rest of the story. Dress suggestions: Dress like a fairy complete with wings and a wand with which to grant wishes.

Step-Mother (from Cinderella) I am a proud woman and I have two daughters and Cinderella is my step-daughter. We call her “Cinderwench” or “Cinderella” because she sits amongst the cinders after she does her work. Dress suggestions: Dress like a very wealthy lady (eg a long flowing dress with nice jewellery and long gloves).

The Queen (from Snow White by The Brothers Grimm) I dressed as an ‘old pedlar woman’ and sold Snow White some lace for her waist. Then I laced her up so tight, she `lost … (her) breath, and fell down as dead.’ Unfortunately, the seven dwarfs soon returned and cut the lace in two, so that she could draw breath. I knew she wasn’t dead because my mirror told me so, so I came again with a poisoned apple. The dwarfs thought Snow White was dead. A prince saw her and carried her away. Then the apple fell out of her mouth and she came back to life and they married. Dress suggestions: Dress as a queen with a crown and a long gown. Add a nasty face mask.

Tinkerbell (from Peter and Wendy by Sir James Matthew Barry) There is also a crocodile that follows us about that has a clock inside his belly going tick, tick, tick. I used my magic fairy dust to help Peter Pan and Wendy and the others to fly. On the island there are lots of fairies. “When the first baby laughed for the very first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about and that was the beginning of the fairies.” Dress suggestions: Dress as a golden fairy with a little bell you always ring as you move about.

Wendy (from Peter and Wendy by Sir James Matthew Barry) I am Wendy Darling. Peter started to visit us at night and then he took my brothers and I with him to Never Never Land. Dress suggestions: Dress in old-fashioned little-girl clothes. Have your hair tied in two pig-tails with pretty ribbon.

Wicked Witch of the West (from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum) Even though I only have one eye, I am still very powerful and very evil. I have a silver whistle around my neck and when I blow it, a pack of wolves comes to help me destroy people or make them my slaves. Dress suggestions: Dress as a witch complete with broomstick, green skin and pointy hat.

The Grandmother (from Little Red Riding Hood) The Big Bad Wolf locked me in the cupboard. So Little Red Riding Hood, said to the Wolf who was sitting in bed dressed in my nightgown, ‘Why, Granny…what big eyes you have got.’ And the wolf said, ‘The better to see you with, my child,’ imitating my voice. I won’t bore you with the rest as you have probably all heard the story. Most versions of the story end happily with Little Red Riding Hood being saved from the wolf’s clutches by her father and the woodcutters. Dress suggestions: A long nightgown with a bed-jacket and a bonnet on your head.

Mamma Bear (from Goldilocks and the Three Bears) Goldilocks tasted my porridge, sat in my chair and lay on my bed. But she found my porridge too cold and my chair and my bed too soft. Dress suggestions: Dress as a medium-sized mother bear but with normal clothes on top.

Baby Bear (from Goldilocks and the Three Bears) I am the innocent victim of Goldilocks. She ate my porridge, broke my chair and I found her asleep in my bed. Dress suggestions: A little bear but with normal clothes on top.

Princess Halima (from The Adventures of Aladdin) I am the Sultan’s daughter. Aladdin glimpsed me in my sedan chair when I was being carried through the streets. He decided he wanted to marry me. Dress suggestions: Wear middle eastern clothes. Add lots of pretty veils. Sequins and jewels are acceptable as you are dripping with wealth.

Characters from other books

Mrs Elinor Ferrars (from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen) – I am a lady with such sense and sensibilities as to have proper regard for all who become my worthy acquaintance. Dress suggestions: Wear a long dress or a skirt and long blouse buttoned to the top. You may like to tie your hair tight in a bun. Dress very conservatively.

Lady Macbeth (from Macbeth by William Shakespeare) – My late husband was briefly King of Scotland. But my husband’s nature was “too full o’ the milk of human kindness”. In the end the madness caused me to take my own life and my husband was slain by the sword of Macduff. So now I a widow be. Dress suggestions: Wear a long dress with lots of petticoats. Dress wealthily.

Cleopatra (from Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare) – I am queen of that fair country Egypt. O! my oblivion is very Antony (Marc Antony), and I am all forgotten. He married Octavia, Caesar’s sister to please Caesar. My anger at hearing this, was such that it would “melt Egypt into Nile!” Dress suggestions: Wear loosely draped material to form a toga. Make your face white with powder. You may like to draw Egyptian symbols or pyramids and the like on your clothes.

Joan of Arc (from books on the history of France) – I was born a French peasant in Domremy, Champagne. When I was about 13, I began to hear the voices of the saints who told me that I had the mission of liberating France from England’s domination. When I was 18, after being tested by a group of theologians, Charles placed his troops under my command. During my rule, they were successful against the British. Dress suggestions: Dress as a soldier but also as a saint. You may like to wear a rosary or carry the stake on which you were burned.

Maid Marian (from Robin Hood) Although I am a lady, I am also able to fight like a man. I love Robin dearly. Dress suggestions: Although you are a lady when you want to be, you should don trousers, a frilly shirt and carry a bow and arrow or a sword.

Rapunzel (Rapunzel by The Brothers Grimm) I have magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and I unfastened my braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then my hair fell twenty ells down, and my rescuer climbed up by it. Dress suggestion: Old-fashioned clothes and a golden-haired wig braided.

Gretel (from Hansel and Gretel recorded by the Brothers Grimm) The old hag we met in the woods tricked us into thinking she was nice. She was actually planning to eat us. She locked poor Hansel up in the stable and tried to fatten him up. When she lit the fire for the stove and asked me to climb inside to test the heat I played dumb. I asked her to show me how. When she had her head and shoulders in the oven I shoved as hard as I could and in she went. Boy was Hansel pleased when I let him out of the stable. When we got home our stepmother had died and father was very happy to see us. Dress suggestions: Wear a pinafore over a plain blouse and skirt. Go bare footed or wear old sandals.

Old Hag (from Hansel and Gretel recorded by the Brothers Grimm) I had a gingerbread house. When a little boy and a little girl came by my house and started to eat it, I made them a feast, in order to feed them and then eat them. However, Gretel tricked me into getting into the oven, and Hansel and Gretel escaped. Dress suggestions:Carry a cane, die your hair black or wear a wig, and wear dark eye shadow. Wear raggedy clothes.

Eldest Daughter (from the Twelve Dancing Princesses recorded by the Brothers Grimm) The King gave me – his eldest daughter – to the old soldier in marriage because he discovered that we were wearing out shoes out because we were sneaking out to go dancing every night. Dress suggestions: Wear a crown and a colorful beautiful dress. Wear some colorful jewelry.

Fish (from the Tale of the Fisherman and The Fish by the Alexander Pushkin) I am a golden fish who was caught from the sea by a fisherman. I did not want to turn into his dinner, so I promised him to make his wish come true if he let me go. I did this several times for him, but despite fulfilling his wife’s wishes, his wife did not seem happier. Dress suggestions: Wear all yellow/gold colored clothes. Make “fins” for your arms out of cloth or cardboard as well as a tale fin.

Mrs Giant (from Jack and the Beanstalk as told by Joseph Jacobs) My husband is very loud and not very considerate. He doesn’t realize how much work is involved with keeping such a large house and preparing such large meals. It’s not easy providing him with a whole pig and a dozen pies at one meal. That’s why I let young Jack in to give me a hand with the chores. Dress suggestions: Plain clothes with a large apron. Wear clogs if you have them. Talk loudly.

Thumbelina (from Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen) I was born to be very, very tiny, no bigger than a lady’s thumb and I slept in a lacquered walnut shell with a rose petal coverlet. I was stolen by an ugly toad that wanted me to marry her son. Yuk!! Some fish helped me escape and I had many adventures. I ended up spending the winter with a kind field mouse, but she wanted me to marry the neighboring boring old mole. After befriending a poor injured swallow because we were both great singers, he flew me off to his home. Poor Swallow had fallen in love with me, but when he put me on a beautiful white flower there was the King of the spirits of the flowers already there. Naturally we fell in love and lived happily ever after. Dress suggestions: Old fashioned, delicate long dress. Braid you hair and wear flowers in it. Speak with a tiny voice.

Beetle (from Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen) I befriended a tiny girl who had emerged from a seed, but after my friends rejected her, I stopped and discarded her. Dress suggestions: Dress in black or black with white stripes.

Belle (from the Beauty and the Beast as retold by Madame Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont) My father gave me to the Beast to live in his castle. I thought I didn’t like him, but when I saw him dying in the mirror he had given me after I left him; I realized how good he had been to me. When I rushed back to him and found him dead, I cried tears of love and at that moment he returned to his original form as a handsome prince. Dress suggestions: Dress in a beautiful dress. Carry a mirror.

Mermaid (from The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen) I wanted to become human so I might marry the prince I had saved from drowning. The Sea Witch gave me a potion that would allow me to do so, but if the prince did not decide to marry me, I would die. I agreed to this, but the prince decided to marry a princess that his father wanted him to marry. I could have regained my long life by slaying him, but I could not do it. Dress suggestions: Wear a long green skirt with green shoes or sandals, if you can find them. Wear a purple blouse and put ribbons in your hair.

Sea Witch (from The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen) I gave the Little Mermaid a potion to take that would allow her to take human form, although I told her it would shorten her lifespan. As a sea witch, I can control many aspects of nature relating to water. I can also control the wind, and sometimes give ropes with three knots in them to sailors for good luck. Dress suggestions: Paint your skin purple or just dress in purple. Wear a long white-haired wig. Carry a rope with three knots in it.

Mary Mary Quite Contrary (from the famous nursery rhyme) I have a garden which has plants I call “pretty maids” which are all in row. I decorate the garden with silver bells, cockle shells. Dress suggestions: Wear old fashioned clothes and a bonnet and carry gardening tools and silver bells and cockle shells.

Jill (from the famous nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill”) I went up the hill with my boyfriend Jack to get a pail of water. Jack fell down, breaking the top of his head. And I tumbled down the hill after him. Jack ran home and wrapped his head in paper dipped in vinegar. I followed him, and laughed when I saw his head. Then, I suggested we play at the see-saw across the gate. Dress suggestions: Dress in a skirt and blouse. Wear pig-tails. Carry a pail of water.

Mrs Jack Sprat (from the famous nursery rhyme “Jack Sprat” as told by John Clarke) My husband Jack can eat no fat, and I can eat no lean. Between the two of us, we lick the platter clean. Dress suggestions: Wear a lot of padding to make yourself look as obese as possible. Carry fattening foods or pictures of them.

Little Polly Flinders (from the nursery rhyme) I sat by the cinders warming my toes. When my mother came and caught me, she scolded me for burning my new clothes. Dress suggestions: Wear sandals, and paint your toes bright red. Wear old fashioned clothes and a bonnet. Add some soot to your clothes.

Old Mother Hubbard (from the famous nursery rhyme) I went to the cupboard to give my dog a bone. However, there was nothing in there to give him. I then went to the baker’s to buy some bread for the dog, but when I arrived back home, my dog had died! I then went to the undertaker’s to buy a coffin for my dog, but when I came back, the dog was laughing. My dog continued to play tricks on me. What a strange dog I do have! Dress suggestions: Wear a bonnet, glasses & long dress. Carry a toy dog.

Little Bo Peep (from the famous nursery rhyme) I’m a shepherdess, but I’m in trouble because I’ve lost my sheep. I fell asleep and they wandered away. Now I have to take my crook and search the hills and meadows for my bleating sheep. Dress suggestions: Wear a flared dress with pantaloons (tights) underneath and a straw bonnet with a ribbon tied under your chin. Carry a crook – you can make one from an old umbrella handle and cover it with silver foil. Tie a satin bow around it.

The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe (from the famous nursery rhyme) I lived in a shoe. I had so many children; I found it hard to feed them all and to control them. So I gave them broth without any bread and I whipped them all soundly and put them to bed. Dress suggestions: Wear worn out clothes and carry a big shoe and some broth.

Ugly Duckling (from The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen) As a small duckling, I was made fun of for my bad looks. I ended up leaving my flock, and I lived with an old woman and her cat. However, they ended up not wanting me either. I then tried to join a flock of swans, but because I was so ugly, they refused to let me be one of them. I spent my winter alone, cold and miserable in the outdoors. However, when I woke up the next spring, I had transformed into beautiful swan. Dress suggestions: Wear a dirty white shirt and pants. Smear brown and black face paint on your face.

Little Miss Muffet (from the famous nursery rhyme) I sat on a tuffet (a low seat) eating curds and whey. When a spider came along, I was frightened away. Dress suggestions: Dress as a young girl, wearing pig-tails, if possible, and a sundress. Carry a fake spider, as well as some cottage cheese.

Old Mother Goose (from the famous nursery rhyme) Whenever I wanted to wander, I would ride through the air on a very fine gander. That same goose sometimes flew up to the moon. Dress suggestions: Dress as old woman with a long dress and bonnet. Carry a picture of a goose.

Little Girl With A Curl (from the nursery rhyme) I have a curl in the middle of my forehead. When I am good, I’m very, very good, and when I’m bad, I’m, well, horrid. Dress suggestions: Use a curling iron to put at least one curl in the center of your forehead. Paint a pout on your face with lipstick or face paint. Dress as a young girl, perhaps wearing a school uniform.

Miss Mary Mack (from the famous clapping game) I asked my mother for fifty cents to see the elephants jump over the fence. They jumped so high they reached the sky, and they didn’t come back until the 4th of July! Dress suggestions: Dress all in black with silver buttons down your back. Perhaps you could wear a buttoned blouse or dress backwards.

Mary Poppins (from Mary Poppins by the Australian author Helen Lyndon Goff known as her penname Pamela Lyndon Travers or P.L. Travers to disguise the fact she was female) I am a nanny who, although stern, can do all sorts of fun things with children, such as take them to a circus in the sky and throw an upside-down tea party. Dress suggestions: Wear a sunhat and a long dress with a red sash around the middle. Carry an umbrella. If you can, carry a carpetbag.