Howl’s Moving Castle

Howl’s Moving Castle
Diana Wynne Jones

From the Godmother of Fantasy, Diana Wynne Jones, discover the land of Ingary, where magic and adventure awaits…In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell.Deciding she has nothing more to lose, she makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls… There she meets Michael, Howl’s apprentice, and Calcifer the Fire Demon, with whom she agrees a pact.But Sophie isn’t the only one under a curse – her entanglements with Calcifer, Howl, and Michael, and her quest to break her curse is both gripping – and howlingly funny!

Illustrated by Tim Stevens

DEDICATION (#ulink_13decca8-2564-5729-80e1-879618f17665)

This one is for Stephen

The idea for this book was suggested by a boy

in a school I was visiting, who asked me to write

a book called The Moving Castle.

I wrote down his name, and put it in such a safe

place that I have been unable to find it ever since.

I would like to thank him very much.

CONTENTS

Cover (#uc1e0e16a-8e68-572a-8245-f236a10e00c1)

Title Page (#u11909e77-2dfa-595a-b6a0-97c962ed3ba7)

Dedication (#u43ba1bff-9274-53f1-b266-ff62dad0373b)

CHAPTER ONE In which Sophie talks to hats (#ua359f98e-da17-5f0c-9385-86df4c5b3fd0)

CHAPTER TWO In which Sophie is compelled to seek her fortune (#uf09e05e2-fa0b-5d32-9c57-8621ee59dd27)

CHAPTER THREE In which Sophie enters into a castle and a bargain (#ue1678907-00e8-5c7b-b513-e1b60fb27312)

CHAPTER FOUR In which Sophie discovers several strange things (#u6d149dcb-d7f5-5dbc-9fdf-4d12646b29a0)

CHAPTER FIVE Which is far too full of washing (#u509c9882-4a5a-507c-ac46-f1ecafecaf45)

CHAPTER SIX In which Howl expresses his feelings with green slime (#u89d5c556-3520-572e-9ecb-e2454d589530)

CHAPTER SEVEN In which a scarecrow prevents Sophie from leaving the castle (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT In which Sophie leaves the castle in several directions at once (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE In which Michael has trouble with a spell (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN In which Calcifer promises Sophie a hint (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN In which Howl goes to a strange country in search of a spell (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWELVE In which Sophie becomes Howl’s old mother (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN In which Sophie blackens Howl’s name (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN In which a Royal Wizard catches a cold (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN In which Howl goes to a funeral in disguise (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN In which there is a great deal of witchcraft (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN In which the moving castle moves house (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN In which the scarecrow and Miss Angorian reappear (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINETEEN In which Sophie expresses her feelings with weed-killer (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY In which Sophie finds further difficulties in leaving the castle (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE In which a contract is concluded before witnesses (#litres_trial_promo)

More than a Story (#litres_trial_promo)

The Howl Novels (#litres_trial_promo)

Animated Howl (#litres_trial_promo)

Have you ever wondered? (#litres_trial_promo)

Anime and Author (#litres_trial_promo)

If you like, you’ll love… (#litres_trial_promo)

Other Works (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE In which Sophie talks to hats (#ulink_94e222fd-967f-523b-969a-bc5b53239972)

In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.

Sophie Hatter was the eldest of three sisters. She was not even the child of a poor woodcutter, which might have given her some chance of success. Her parents were well to do and kept a ladies’ hat shop in the prosperous town of Market Chipping. True, her own mother died when Sophie was two years old and her sister Lettie was one year old, and their father married his youngest shop assistant, a pretty blonde girl called Fanny. Fanny shortly gave birth to the third sister, Martha. This ought to have made Sophie and Lettie into Ugly Sisters, but in fact all three girls grew up very pretty indeed, though Lettie was the one everyone said was most beautiful. Fanny treated all three girls with the same kindness and did not favour Martha in the least.

Mr Hatter was proud of his three daughters and sent them all to the best school in town. Sophie was the most studious. She read a great deal, and very soon realised how little chance she had of an interesting future. It was a disappointment to her, but she was still happy enough, looking after her sisters and grooming Martha to seek her fortune when the time came. Since Fanny was always busy in the shop, Sophie was the one who looked after the younger two. There was a certain amount of screaming and hair-pulling between those younger two. Lettie was by no means resigned to being the one who, next to Sophie, was bound to be the least successful.

“It’s not fair!” Lettie would shout. “Why should Martha have the best of it just because she was born the youngest? I shall marry a prince, so there!”