Granny's Broomstick

[Cousin It]

I think I know why granny weatherwax has so much trouble starting her broomstick.
My theory is that the magic feild surounding the broomstick that gives it its abillity to fly is being interfered with by granny's personal magic feild and this is disrupting the delicate ignition stage of the spell.

SUPPORTING FACTS

1 the dwarves who have tried to repair ihe broomstick say it starts first time in their workshop

2 Granny has to hide her broomstick in her cottage roof thatch to stop kids joyriding on it (see EQUAL RITES & CARPE JUGULUM)

3 Granny goes borrowing a lot and the wizards say that background magic is created by living things , so I think it is reasonable to assume Granny is absorbing magic from the animals she borrows

4 anyone who owns a car knows that starting is the most difficult thing the engine does , so I think the same sapplies to the broomstick power spell

Any comments Anyone

[rune]

I actually find this character is one of the funniest I've read about in the Discworld She has me in stitches with that broom

[Clouddragon]

granny's broomstick is just like my car in the morning!

Clouddragon

[Sibeling]

I think in Witches Abroad Magrat (or someone) also had troubles with starting Grannies broomstick, so it's not connected with the person, it's connected with the thing.

[chrispenycate]

Granny absolutely needs something to get furious about, and her broomstick fills this role. If she ever got a brand new broomstick (not that this would ever happen- she's a "second handy" person, not comfortable with anything new) within a month or so it would be behaving the same way, and she'd be swearing at the dwarves who informed her "it didn't act like that with anyone else". This, for once, is not the sheer bloodymindedness of the inanimate, but the thouroughly cowed inanimate behaving as expected- Granny justknows the things going to play up, so it does.

[pixelated_dreams]

I think it's because it's intimidated by her.. you know how when someone of all importance is talking to you and you're intimidated, you often stutter and cant find the words, and generally dont work right....

Granny is definately an intimidating character don't you think??

[chrispenycate]

Originally Posted by pixelated_dreams

I think it's because it's intimidated by her.. you know how when someone of all importance is talking to you and you're intimidated, you often stutter and cant find the words, and generally dont work right....

Granny is definately an intimidating character don't you think??

Granny? Intimidating? I'd never stand trembling in front of Granny (I'd be two counties away, still running. The Rincewind technique has its advantages)
On the other hand that"split screen morris minor" broomstick as been with granny long enough (even if it's had new bristles and a new handle) to have learnt to react rationally by now; no, I suspect it's what granny expects and the broomstick does its best to deliver

[Sibeling]

Yes, this theory sounds reasonable enough

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

the reason her broom plays up appears i nthe books. its because there is none of the origianl broom left..the handle and bristles (?) have been replaced by dwarves so often ( as a favour of course) that whilst still magic it has its problems as it were.

[alicebandassassin]

Hay lets face it that means its like most peoples first car then

[pyan]

Deep Philosophical Question:

If she's replaced the handle (say) twice, and the bristles (say) three times, but never at the same time, is it still the same broom??


Perhaps the reason it doesn't work is that the dwarves are using cheap, non-branded parts imported from the Agatean Empire.