"Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book"

[fiefoe]

An intriguing but a bit under-executed concept: a Victorian young lady derives almost sadistic pleasure in collecting fairies - SNAP! - in her pressed flower book.

The Publisher's note at the very beginning is designed to put the reader's mind to ease: "The pictures in this book are psychic impressions of fairies. .. After one or two unfortunate casualties in the early stages all the fairies presented in these pages had discovered a way of leaving their psychic imprint without suffering any physical harm themselves. In fact, the whole process became recognized as a Fairy Sporting Activity and qualified for a Gooseberry Medal at the Millennial Fairy Olympics in 1921." But really, the placement of the note is a strategic mistake. We would be thrilled much more properly if we didn't find out until the very end.

Terry Jones didn't stretch his imagination too far. The only noteworthy fairy here is one attributed to 'turning biscuits soggy when you dip them in your cocoa for only a second'. Ruth Rowland's calligraphy is delightful to look at. She managed to transform a loopy schoolgirl's handwriting into an elegant lady's script then to something wilder in the course of the short book.

Here's the most naughty bit in the book, (apparently the problem of exercising one's imagination is left largely to the reader):
    'I tried to exclaim: "Lord Crowley! There has been a dreadful mistake!" But to my dismay I found that the little gremlin had jumped into my mouth and was now holding my tongue and twisting it this way and that against my will, so that what I said sounded more like:" I tried to exclaim: "Lord Crowley! I could hardly wait!"'