ID Story: White Haired Children
Dachshundi
on the chance that someone new will see it and recognize it. I'd like to know
the name of the author, and also if anyone knows information such as where this
story can be found (in what books). I first read it in a book that I can no
longer locate, that I had as a child...it was some kind of an obscure fantasy
anthology of stories and book excerpts. I think it came from a discount store
and was not from a major publisher.
Here's what I remember of the story: If I remember correctly the title was "The
White Haired Children". Please post or EMAIL reply if you can identify this
story, which I remember quite well.---------
There is a little boy and girl who live in a small town/village, where it snows
in the winter. One day these strange children show up, and no one knows them
and they seem to have no parents- there are six children, 3 boys and 3 girls.
These two main children are fascinated with the children with the white hair
(who are very pale and their hair is truly WHITE, not blonde). They befriend
them..and in the winter when it snows, the white haired children invite them to
their house over on the other side of the big hill/mountain. The 2 main
children hear that the only house over there is an old abandoned, very large
house...their parents give permission and they go sledding over to the party.
(In the story, sledding is called "sledging"). Sure enough there is abig, nice
house there that is all fixed up and there are children and toys everywhere- no
adults in sight, but the house has many many rooms all filled with good food
and exciting toys. The white haired children are very pleased the children came
to play with them. As the night bears on, they plan to serve a wonderful
ice-cream dessert to all the children...this dessert is modeled after the
moutain, and even has tiny figures on it that look just like the two main
children and the other children in attendance at the party.
What the two main children don't realize at first is that when someone spoons
out a portion of the icy dessert, that corresponding part of the snowy mountain
they crossed to get there also begins to disappear! The little girl and her
brother overhear the white haired children talking about how once the dessert
is eaten up, the snow and outdoors will be gone and the child guests will never
be able to get hoe, and then they must stay forever and play with the white
haired children. The two main children overhear and look outside and begin to
panic! They run and get their sledges (sleds) and sled as fast as they can with
the snow disappearing as they run......they barely make it home, but they do
get home safely...they never tell their parents about their close call...and in
the summer, they venture over the mountain to where the house once was...and
they find a large, old, rundown house that looks as is it has been abandoned
for many years. They never see or hear from the white haired children again.
------
I have always been so fascinated by this story! If you can identify the author
or a book where this story can be found, or a way to search for this obscure
story..please email me.
Jill
Nicholas Young
<dachs...@aol.com> writes
>I have posted this before weeks ago, but thought I'd try to describe it again
>on the chance that someone new will see it and recognize it.
>[...]
>...their parents give permission and they go sledding over to the party.
>(In the story, sledding is called "sledging").
>[...]
My only deduction from this (my dear Watson) is that this is by an
English author, since "sledging" is English for the American "sledding".
Hope that's useful.
Post if you find the book, because it sounds quite fascinating.
Nicholas.
--
[Remove xy and yx from address to reply]
Nicholas Young.
Dachshundi
>My only deduction from this (my dear Watson) is that this is by an
>English author, since "sledging" is English for the American "sledding".
>Hope that's useful.
>
>Post if you find the book, because it sounds quite fascinating.
Thanks for that bit of info...I was not quite sure where "sledging" originates
from. I can't even remember if the story had a clear cut setting. It was one of
my favorite short stories...I am trying very hard to locate that book or info.
I wonder if it could have been an excerpt, a selection from a full book of its
own. Some of the other stories in this anthology were just selections from full
length books such as The Phantom Tollbooth and The Borrowers Afloat...that, I
remember clearly. I can't recall if ALL the stories in that book were excerpts
or if some were simply short stories.
I wish I could find it! It is driving me crazy.
Jill
nmbf
"Dachshundi" <dachs...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000207143502...@ng-ch1.aol.com...
> I have posted this before weeks ago, but thought I'd try to describe it
again
know
> the name of the author, and also if anyone knows information such as where
this
> story can be found (in what books). I first read it in a book that I can
no
> longer locate, that I had as a child...it was some kind of an obscure
fantasy
> anthology of stories and book excerpts. I think it came from a discount
store
> and was not from a major publisher.
>
> Here's what I remember of the story: If I remember correctly the title was
"The
> White Haired Children". Please post or EMAIL reply if you can identify
this
> story, which I remember quite well.---------
Always up for a challenge, I've been searching. Dogpile turned up a site:
http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/8415/list.html
Someone named Brandi lists her favorite children's books which includes:
>Over the Rainbow - an anthology (the best story in this anthology was
called "The White Haired >Children" and I cannot remember the author's name.
A Search of MXBookfinder turns up a title Over the Rainbow: Tales of Fantasy
and Imagination. There seems to be two versions, one published by Octopus
books in 1983, one by Cathay in 1984.
I hope this is what you are looking for!
Nancy
remove nospam to reply to email
Dachshundi
>A Search of MXBookfinder turns up a title Over the Rainbow: Tales of Fantasy
>and Imagination. There seems to be two versions, one published by Octopus
>books in 1983, one by Cathay in 1984.
OH!!!! That's IT, that's what I am looking for. Thank you so much!!
One of the descriptions even listed some of the story names and thatis
definitely the one I have been looking for. "The White Haired Children",
"Harriet's Hairloom", "Truth About Pyecraft", "The Way Out" etc.If I remember
correctly, The Way Out is an excerpt from The Borrowers Afloat.
And one of the other descriptions listed all the authors..there were 16
stories. I do not know which authors go with some of the stories (don't
remember some of them), but here are the authors of the atories in the book:
H G Wells
Ursula Le Guin
E Nesbit
Ruth Ainsworth
Norton Juster
Tolkien
Washington Irving
CS Lewis
Lewis Carrol
Hugh Lofting
Joan Aiken
Mary Norton
Eric Linklater
Alan Garner
Helen Croswell
L Frank Baum
I am so glad I found it--thanks to those who responded with help!!
Jill
HPrill
>length books such as The Phantom Tollbooth and The Borrowers Afloat...that, I
>remember clearly. I can't recall if ALL the stories in that book were
>excerpts
>or if some were simply short stories.
I recall a thick anthology like that that had an excerpt from the Hobbit, and
also Riki-Tiki-Tavi, as well as lots more. I think it was some kind of Readers
Digest product.
Judi Smith
you've bought yours :) it sounds so good!
Dachshundi (dachs...@aol.com) wrote:
: Nancy wrote:
: Jill
--
judi smith i want someone to know me
jsm...@bc.seflin.org maybe tell me who i am
--darkness, 3eb
would you catch me if i was falling?
kiss me if i was leaving?
hold me cause i'm lonely without you?
--cc
Dachshundi
>so how much is this book? i wouldn't mind getting the OTHER copy once
>you've bought yours :) it sounds so good!
I have no idea how much, I had to rush off somewhere. I will probably order
one, but I am really hoping to find the one I had as a child. I can't imagine
where it could have disappeared to..it should be in storage somewhere at my
parents' house- they say they have not moved any of my old books, but I have
been missing it for 2 years now.
I am pretty sure that my original copy came from a discount store such as
K-Mart or Roses. That's what is so funny about it- I was surprised to learn
that other people knew about this book.
I am so happy now :-)
Jill
H Schinske
>I am pretty sure that my original copy came from a discount store such as
>K-Mart or Roses. That's what is so funny about it- I was surprised to learn
>that other people knew about this book.
>
My library has a copy (I reserved it -- wanted to see what all the fuss was
about!), so I assume it was fairly widely marketed. Libraries don't usually get
the type of books that are *only* sold at K-mart and such. (I don't want to be
a snob here -- it has to do with the *way* they buy books as much as anything,
not necessarily the quality of the books at K-mart.)
--Helen
