Mary Poppins - A Witch by any other name

I hope everyone had a great bank holiday weekend, did anyone else see the film Mary Poppins which was on again. O.K. I know it's on every bank holiday but I just don't care, it's one of my all time favourites and I can always watch it again. It's so happy and uplifting and also just so witchy.

I'm sure everyone knows the film, Mary Poppins is the traditional British nanny who arrives to look after the children of the apply named Banks family, the father of the family just happens to be a banker. She then proceeds to sort out the dysfunctional family as well as involving the children and the rest of the household in some very strange and yes, magical adventures.

The word witch is never mentioned but really what else could she be? She arrives and leaves with the changing direction of the wind. The elements of the weather seem to work with her, as a strong wind blows away all other applicants for the job of nanny. Her methods of cleaning are much more fun than using a duster, can anyone else see a likeness between her clicking her fingers and Samantha of the Bewitched series wiggling her nose? Her ordinary looking carpet bag has the capacity to hold all the furnishings for her room, it's depth seems never ending. She can turn a snow globe into a crystal ball and while no broom is in sight, she carries an umbrella that is lovingly carved in the shape of a parrot, which also talks like a parrot and helps her fly through the air. Every outing she takes the children on turns into a magical adventure. Even her medicine that pours from the one bottle becomes unique in taste to the individual taking it, talk about supercalifragilisticepialidocious. As well as her medicine she dispenses kindly old age wisdom that by the end of the film has brought the family all back together, leaving her to move on once more. Apart from her friend Bert, who seems quite at home with a touch of magic himself. No one sees her leave, just as no one saw her arrive.

Mary Poppins, supper nanny, quiet witch.

For more about Witches in Fiction head on over to Magaly's blog Pagan Culture for the links to some great posts in her Witches in Fiction blog party.