THE JACKDAW AND THE WITCH: A TRUE FABLE

by Sybil Leek ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 31, 1966

Mrs. Leek is a civilized witch: ""I can call myself an authority as well as being a practicing member of the ancient occult religion. ""Mr. Hotfoot Jackson"" is a very sophisticated Jackdaw but no incantations produced him. He arrived as a raggedy baby bundled up in a paper bag: ""obviously the poor little thing had been pushed out of its nest by a mother who was as unimpressed by its looks as I was."" Soon the whole family, Mama and Papa Leek and teenage sons Julian and Stephen were cosseting the little fella, digging worms out of the garden, bathing and blanketing him. Julian and Jackson had instant rapport. Then one day Mrs. Leek was requested to appear in a film on witchcraft in the southern England New Forest area where she lived. Mr. Jackson made a simultaneous debut and was a success. Headlines were made, more films followed...then television. Finally even Ian Fleming requested an autograph. And this is Mr. Jackson's story although there is something inherently funny in Mrs. Leek's occasional comments: witches dropping in to tea; some fifty both black and white witches thoughtfully attending a debate intended to prove them non-existent. And although Mr. Jackson is represented as a ""distinguished personality"" with ""charm"" he is not strong enough to make this fable anything but a foible.

Pub Date: Oct. 31, 1966

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Prentice-Hall

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1966

Categories: NONFICTION