“The name of our town is Vogelsang, which means Birdsong. It has that pretty name because for hundreds of years the singing birds have come in great flocks to make their nests in our orchards and have sung more sweetly than anywhere else.”
But “odd and spooky things are apt to happen in Vogelsang.” And things are going quite in the wrong direction all over town. Anemone’s father has a new housekeeper who is admittedly a good cook, but Ilsebill (the cook-housekeeper) and especially her rascal of a son Erwin have it in for Anemone, and Anemone can’t take any more of their “nasty tricks.” And Anemone’s uncles have been accused of stealing a statue from the town’s cathedral. And the mayor is making laws that no one likes or understands. And Mr. FLorus, Anemone’s father, seems oblivious—or just completely enchanted by Ilsebill’s dumplings.
This tale of enchantments and disguises and a town in danger is not a Christmas story, but rather an Easter story. All of the action takes place during the week or two just before Easter Sunday. Anemone runs away from home, but she doesn’t go too far away. Aunt Gundula works hard to make her very special Easter eggs for the entire village even as she is working to make everything come right in Vogelsang before the Easter chimes ring out on Sunday. And there’s a circus, and a cute little dog, a very Germanic puzzle to solve and lots of pure nonsense and magic interspersed throughout.
You may be able to find this book, first published in English in 1955, in your local library, but if not, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny or luck out as I did. I saw the copy I now own in the local library used bookstore for $1.00, recognized the author’s name, and snapped it up. I’m very glad I did, and if you’re a member of my library, you can check out my copy.
Margot Benary-Isbert, by the way, is a German children’s author who wrote The Ark and Rowan Farm, realistic fiction about children living in post-war Germany. It was fun to see her try her hand at fantasy, and the attempt was very successful indeed. The translation was well-done, too, retaining the Germanic flavor but readily understandable in English. The main character, Anemone, reminded me somewhat of Pippi Longstocking, and I think fans of Pippi and of Grimm’s fairy tale-ish stories will enjoy TheWicked Enchantment.