The Two Magicians

by John Langstaff, Fritz Eichenberg (Illustrator)

A pretty young witch transforms herself into many different animals to escape the love-struck magician. Piano accompaniment and guitar chords are included.

32 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 1973

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a variant of the old ballad that inspired Margaret Wise Brown to write The Runaway Bunny in 1942. The story in her biography says it was a French Provencal ballad (without further specific citation, as I recall). We are told here that it appears in one of Cecil Sharp's collections and there are references to a number of international versions going back to the sixth century in Europe (possibly earlier in Asia).

Eichenberg's illustrations have style and character, but I wish there were more subtlety and variety in the colors (perhaps a limitation of the printing process). There is too much fire engine red and royal blue for my tastes.

[Peacegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting as a historical document of a traditional old song, as well as for the illustrations, but I would not recommend it at all for the intended audience of children. The message is simply awful--a magician man pursues an unwilling magician woman, using overt metaphors of predator and prey, and eventually "captures" her at the end. Yikes.