Illustrated by Tim Stevens
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
CHAPTER ONE In which Sophie talks to hats
CHAPTER TWO In which Sophie is compelled to seek her fortune
CHAPTER THREE In which Sophie enters into a castle and a bargain
CHAPTER FOUR In which Sophie discovers several strange things
CHAPTER FIVE Which is far too full of washing
CHAPTER SIX In which Howl expresses his feelings with green slime
CHAPTER SEVEN In which a scarecrow prevents Sophie from leaving the castle
CHAPTER EIGHT In which Sophie leaves the castle in several directions at once
CHAPTER NINE In which Michael has trouble with a spell
CHAPTER TEN In which Calcifer promises Sophie a hint
CHAPTER ELEVEN In which Howl goes to a strange country in search of a spell
CHAPTER TWELVE In which Sophie becomes Howl’s old mother
CHAPTER THIRTEEN In which Sophie blackens Howl’s name
CHAPTER FOURTEEN In which a Royal Wizard catches a cold
CHAPTER FIFTEEN In which Howl goes to a funeral in disguise
CHAPTER SIXTEEN In which there is a great deal of witchcraft
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN In which the moving castle moves house
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN In which the scarecrow and Miss Angorian reappear
CHAPTER NINETEEN In which Sophie expresses her feelings with weed-killer
CHAPTER TWENTY In which Sophie finds further difficulties in leaving the castle
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE In which a contract is concluded before witnesses
CHAPTER ONE In which Sophie talks to hats
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!”
To which Martha always retorted that she