Katie's Botanical Birthday. Hello, this is Natasha. And I'm happy to be back on Story Noray.

I'm here with a story about Katie the witch. In this story, you'll hear about botany, which is the

study of plants. Not everyone rates botany as the most exciting subject in the world, but if you are a witch, it's very important for making spells.

So, without further ado, here's the story.

Katie never knows quite what to expect for her birthday. One year her mum gave her a large green encyclopedia of botany.

It identified all sorts of obscure plants from around the world giving their health and magical properties.

For example, you could discover that Pennyworth has traditionally been used for rheumatism and asthma,

and Madagascar Perry Winkle can cure all sorts of nasty things.

Wow, thanks, Mum, said Katie when she enrapped it.

But to tell you the truth, the volume was a little on the heavy side for her

tastes. It spent most of the time under her bed, unloved and forgotten. The following birthday, what Katie

really wanted was a new laptop. Dad had given her some money for Christmas and would probably give her some more on her birthday,

but would it be enough for her to buy the one she wanted?

Oh dear, sighed Katie, when she spoke to her best friend Isis.

As I get older, I wonder if I really want to be a witch.

What makes you say that? asked Isis, astonished.

Magic is so useful. I'm really envious that you can do so many things with a snap of your finger.

Magic is much harder than it looks, said Katie.

And besides, it doesn't make you rich.

Look at us.

We're so hard up.

And ISIS, whose parents were rich and gave her everything she wanted, had to agree that Katie wasn't quite so fortunate.

...