Once upon a time, in a dark and mysterious forest, lived a witch named Morgana. Morgana was known for her eccentricity and her insatiable appetite for everything unusual. She would often catch strange creatures and consume them as part of her magical rituals. One day, while wandering through the forest, Morgana stumbled upon a peculiar fly. This fly was no ordinary insect; it glowed with a faint, ethereal light and emitted a sweet aroma that was irresistible. Intrigued, Morgana carefully captured the fly in a glass jar and took it back to her witch's den.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

But that is only the beginning, for the old lady soon abandons herself to more extraordinary measures, with the hilarious result that each new cure begets an ailment more preposterous than the last.

Nadine Bernard Westcott's fresh, rollicking interpretation brings this favorite folk song to life, with its full-color illustrations brimming with silly good fun and marvelous antics sure to be enjoyed again and again.

Genres Picture BooksChildrensPoetryFictionAnimalsMusicMathematics

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Nadine Bernard Westcott

Nadine Bernard Westcott is the illustrator of many popular books for children, including Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash and Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash, as well as the author and illustator of The Lady With The Alligator Purse. She used to spend many hours chasing after her dog, who would come home only when ready and not a minute sooner. Ms. Westcott lives on Nantucket with her husband, Bill.

Intrigued, Morgana carefully captured the fly in a glass jar and took it back to her witch's den. She peered at the fly, marveling at its beauty. It fluttered its delicate wings, almost as if it was trying to communicate with her.

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I read the book "I know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" by Nadine Bernard Westcott. The book is about an old lady who at first swallows a fly. In the book you do not find out why she swallowed the fly. To get rid of the fly she swallows a spider. She continues to swallow other animals to get rid of the one she swallowed before. In the end she swallows a horse and she dies.

In the book there are a lot of characters that do not last very long. The main character of the book is the Old Lady. The Old Lady ends up swallowing all of the other characters. The other characters are a fly, a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, a goat, a cow, and a horse. The Old Lady continues to get more and more fat from swallowing all the other characters until she dies.

The setting is at the Old Lady's house and around the outside of the house. The Old Lady swallows all of these characters during the day. She also dies during the day.

The theme of this book is cause and effect. It teaches that no matter what you do there will always be consequences. If you do one bad thing it will often lead to another. In the book she eats one bad thing and continues to eat bad things until she dies.

I rated this book four stars because it was a pretty clever and catchy book. I enjoyed the rhymes and how smooth it was to read. I would recommend this book to anyone five years old and older. Especially to older people who want to read a good book to young children.

Time Machine
2.0 out of 5 stars Well I Guess There Is Always One In The Crowd. May 23, 2005

Everyone else seems to adore this book so I guess I have lost my sense of humor because I just don't like this particular version-- at least not for the 3 and under set.

My first objection stems from the use of bug spray by the 'old lady' to get rid of the fly. She is shown sitting on a couch surrounded by cans of depleted insecticide while spraying more in her mouth. Rather than find this funny, it scared me to think that some child might get a notion to copy this activity.

Then second is my objection to boiling a cat and chasing a dog with the same intent. Now most children wouldn't do this so that's not a problem but I still don't like the idea of introducing this weird concept to my little boy. (My son asked me if we needed to keep our cat inside and safe from the neighbors - hmmm.)

The funny part of all of this is that I don't mind when the old lady just pops the animals down her throat. Go figure. In any case, Nadine Westcott is a good story teller and her artwork is clever, but I still have to give this book two stars because of the above reservations.

[A `Thought You Should Know' review]

My daughter and I read this book before nap time today because her preschool teacher read the class a similar book.

This board book has awesome illustrations to go with the lyrics of the titular song. On the second page, along with the words "I don't know why she swallowed a fly, Perhaps she'll die" shows a lady sitting at her table eating some cookies surprised by a fly coming into her mouth. The last page has a ginormous lady lying on the ground outside picking at her teeth with a horseshoe. The corresponding lyrics on this page are altered to "She's full, of course!"

Every single one of my children has enjoyed this book, which takes perhaps five minutes to read.

As a board book, it is geared towards babies and toddlers, but I still break out the occasional board book. I have some that I love.

Although an earworm burrows deep inside my head every time I read/sing this book to my daughter, I still find it fun. Who doesn't like this classic? Weird people, that's who!

I got it free at our library and now I know why. I was reading it to my son before bed time and 🤭🤢.

Wow, this old lady just about ate everything in sight! I am talking about of course the famous folklore tale, I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. This version adapted by multi-award winning author Mary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott, will be sure to have your students laughing out loud and reading along with you. This is a great choice for a read aloud to any Pre K- 2nd grade class as it has a great rhythmic pattern, which will make it easy for your students to get into. Did I mention the illustrations that go along with it are hilarious!

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly tells the story of just that. An old lady swallows a fly and in fear that she'll die (hey I just made a rhyme!) starts eating other insects/animals to catch the previous ones inside of her. These insects/animals include a bird, a spider, what seems to be her pet cat and dog, a goat, and even a cow and a horse. Well what do you think happens at the end of this book after eating a handful of animals? Well she dies, of course!

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly can be used in the classroom in a few ways. The first is through shared reading. After doing a read aloud for your students, they can then participate with you in a shared reading. I think this book is a great choice for a shared reading experience for a few reasons. The first is the rhyming and repetitive text. Throughout the story there are many lines that repeat over and over such as "I know an old lay who swallowed a . " and "She swallowed the . to catch the . " This could be a great choice for early emergent and emergent readers as it is not too complicated. Another way this folklore could be used in the classroom is through more of a creative writing project. After reading this folklore, you could ask children if they believe this to be a real story (non-fiction or fiction). You could then as a class write a story (having each student write a sentence), similar to this one. You could then have the students replace the animals with other animals or foods and replace the old lady with another character (maybe their favorite character from another book or even you the teacher!). This project could help promote community (as the whole class will be working together as a group) and creativity (as they will be thinking of new ideas for a story).

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly: A Hilarious Lift-the-Flap Book!

I know an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed the fly—so read along and find out! Meet all the animals that end up in the old lady's tummy—but what will happen when she starts to get a bit full? This is a comical retelling of the favorite nursery rhyme from a popular team, with lift-the-flap pages that are just right for small hands.

Genres ChildrensPoetryFantasyHumor

24 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2003

About the author

Colin Hawkins

Colin Hawkins (1945) was born in Blackpool, England, and won a scholarship to art school at the age of thirteen. He and his wife, Jacqui Hawkins, produced their first children’s book, Witches, in 1981 and over one hundred titles have followed since then.

Morgana couldn't resist the temptation any longer and decided to taste the fly. She opened her mouth wide, preparing to swallow the tiny creature. As she swallowed the fly, a strange sensation came over Morgana. She felt a rush of power coursing through her body, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Her senses became heightened, and she could hear the whispers of the forest and see deep into the hearts of those around her. The fly had bestowed upon her a new kind of magic – one that connected her to the natural world in a way she had never imagined. From that day on, Morgana's reputation as a witch with extraordinary abilities spread far and wide. People would come from distant lands seeking her guidance, hoping to harness a fraction of her newfound magic. Morgana, however, guarded her secret closely, revealing only a fraction of her newfound powers to the outside world. In the forest, Morgana's connection with nature grew stronger with each passing day. Animals of all kinds would seek her out, drawn to her mystical presence. She no longer had the desire to consume strange creatures; instead, she became their protector, using her powers to heal and nurture. As time went on, Morgana's powers continued to evolve. She discovered her ability to commune with plants, using their knowledge to create potions and remedies that could cure even the gravest ailments. The once feared and eccentric witch had become a beacon of hope and wisdom. The witch who ate a fly had become a force for good in the world. Morgana realized that her encounter with the fly had been a gift, a turning point in her life that had transformed her into someone extraordinary. She knew that she had a responsibility to use her powers for the betterment of all, and she embraced this newfound purpose with all her heart. And so, Morgana's story serves as a reminder that sometimes the most unexpected encounters can lead to the greatest transformations. The witch who ate a fly teaches us to embrace change and embrace the unknown, for it is in these moments that we discover the magic within ourselves..

Reviews for "A Fly's Revenge: How One Insect Turned the Tables on a Witch"

1. Karen - 1 out of 5 stars - I really did not enjoy "The Witch Who Ate a Fly." The rhyme scheme felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to read out loud to my young children. The story itself was also quite bizarre and lacked any clear message or moral. Additionally, I found the illustrations to be quite unappealing and even a bit disturbing for children. Overall, I would not recommend this book for young readers.

2. John - 2 out of 5 stars - "The Witch Who Ate a Fly" was a disappointment for me. The storyline was confusing and did not flow well, making it difficult to follow along and understand what was happening. The illustrations, although colorful, felt unappealing and did not capture my interest. The book also lacked any depth or meaning, leaving me feeling unsatisfied after reading it. I would not recommend this book for anyone looking for a engaging or meaningful children's story.

3. Lisa - 1 out of 5 stars - I'm sorry, but I really did not enjoy "The Witch Who Ate a Fly." The language and rhymes felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to read aloud. The story was also quite strange and did not make much sense. I found myself questioning the purpose of the book and what message it was trying to convey. The illustrations were also quite basic and unimpressive. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others, especially for young readers who are still developing their language and comprehension skills.

4. Michael - 2 out of 5 stars - "The Witch Who Ate a Fly" was not my cup of tea. While the illustrations were colorful and vibrant, the story itself was lacking substance. It felt disjointed and confusing, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters or understand the overall purpose of the book. The language and rhymes were also quite forced and did not flow well. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed by this book. I would not recommend it to others who are looking for a cohesive and engaging children's story.

5. Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars - I was not a fan of "The Witch Who Ate a Fly." The rhymes felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to read aloud and maintain a steady rhythm. The story itself was also quite bizarre and lacked any clear message or moral. The illustrations were the only redeeming factor, as they were quite colorful and visually appealing. However, they were not enough to make up for the shortcomings of the book. I would not recommend this book to others, especially for young readers who may struggle with the disjointed storyline.

A Fly's Guide to Surviving a Witch's Stomach