This story of Raggedy Ann is inspired by the tale Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson from Johnny Gruelle’s book RAGGEDY ANN STORIES

One day, the dolls found themselves alone in Emily’s room. She had carefully arranged them allโ€”Dazzling Danielle in her sparkly dress, Brave Max, the superhero figurine, and the one and only Raggedy Ann. With a gentle reminder to be good, Emily darted off to run an errand with her mom, leaving the dolls to their own devices.

There they sat, never so much as wiggling a finger, until the backdoor clicked shut. They felt the stillness and knew they were alone in the house. In that instant, they all sprang to life! “Freedom!” cheered Brave Max. “Let’s raid the kitchen!โ€

Our story of Raggedy Ann and her friends begins in the bedroom

Raggedy Ann, always the clever one, remembered the delicious smells of the pantry that morning. So, with a wink and a smile, she led the charge, “Follow me!” she cried. Her yarn hair danced about her shoulders, and despite her wobbly legs, she managed an impressively lively pace, leading the band of adventurous dolls across the room toward the kitchen.

“This is the place!” declared Raggedy Ann, and sure enough, all the dollies smelled something that they knew must be very good to eat.

The dollies chattered, pulled, and pushed, trying their best to open the door. Amidst the commotion, one would occasionally tumble over, only to be stepped on by the others in their fervent efforts. Finally, Raggedy Ann withdrew from the group and sat on the floor, lost in thought.

When the others noticed Raggedy Ann sitting there, running her rag hands through her yarn hair, they knew she was pondering a solution. “Sh! Sh!” they whispered, quietly gathering around her.

“There must be a way to get inside,” Raggedy Ann mused.

“Raggedy says there must be a way to get inside!” the dolls echoed excitedly.

“I can’t seem to think clearly today,” Raggedy Ann confessed. “It feels as if my head were ripped.”

Raggedy Ann with a headache

Upon hearing this, the Dazzling Danielle rushed to Raggedy Ann’s side and gently removed her bonnet. “Yes, there is a rip in your head, Raggedy!” she exclaimed, pulling a pin from her skirt and carefully mending the tear.

“Oh, that is so much better!” Raggedy Ann proclaimed. “Now I can think quite clearly.”

“I believe the door must be locked, Raggedy Ann declared,  โ€œand to get in, we must unlatch it!โ€

“That will be easy!” the Dutch doll, who says “Mamma” when tipped backward and forward, chimed in. โ€œAll we need to do is reach it!โ€

Raggedy Ann thought for a moment, her eyes darting around the room. Suddenly, she leaped up with a cheerful grin. “I have an idea!” She grabbed hold of Jumping Jack, positioning him near the door. “Jack, can you lift the latch?โ€

With a swift nod, Jack extended his stick, using his spring-loaded legs to propel himself upward. He unlatched the pantry door in one deft movement, much to the delight of all the dollies. The Dutch doll clapped his hands and rocked back and forth, crying out, “Mamma! Mamma!” in his squeaky voice.

Jumping Jack lifts the latch

Together, the dolls managed to push the pantry door open, revealing a wonderland of treats. Excitement buzzed through the air as they rushed in, their eyes wide with delight.

“I want that!” “No, I saw it first!” they exclaimed as they playfully argued over the most enticing goodies. The dolls clambered over each other, laughter and joyful chaos filling the pantry.

In the midst of the whirlwind, a box of powdered sugar burst open, showering Dazzling Danielle in a sparkling cloud. “Look at me! Iโ€™m a snow fairy!” she giggled, twirling in her sugary dress.

Danielle in a cloud of powdered sugar

The Indian doll discovered a box of crispy crackers and a jar of golden honey. “A feast for a raja!” he declared, sitting down to enjoy his sweet and crunchy treat.

A loud crash echoed as a jar of raspberry jam toppled to the floor. The dolls eagerly gathered around, dipping their fingers into the delicious gooey mess. Their faces were smeared with purple goodness in no time, making them look like playful, purple-faced mischief-makers.

Brave Maxโ€™s attention was captured by the colorful gummy bears perched high on the pantry shelves. He clambered up the towering shelves with great effort, but his grip faltered, sending him tumbling to the floor repeatedly. Each time, he sprang back up with a determined grin. “I’ll get them!” he called out.

But suddenly, they heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. “Uh oh!” Raggedy Ann gasped. The toys scrambled back to Emily’s room in a flash, leaving a trail of crumbs and sticky fingerprints.

Just as Emily entered the room, the dolls dropped in whatever positions they were in. “What happened here?!” she cried. โ€œYou look like you have been dancing with sugar plum fairies.โ€

Then she saw Raggedy Ann’s face and picked her up. โ€œWhy, Raggedy Ann, you are all sticky! I do believe you are covered with jam!” The mistress tasted Raggedy Ann’s hand. “Yes! It’s jam! Shame on you, Raggedy Ann! You’ve been in the pantry and all the others, too!” With this, Emily dropped Raggedy Ann on the floor and left the room.

Emily returned with a determined look, her apron tied securely and sleeves rolled up. She gathered the sticky dolls into a basket and carried them to the garden.

Under the apple tree stood a small tub, ready for the dolls’ bath. One by one, Emily carefully scrubbed each doll with a soft brush, lathering them in frothy soap suds until every trace of their pantry adventure had vanished. Emily hung them all out on the clothesline to dry in the sunshine.

Raggedy Ann in the tub of water

There, the dolls hung all day, swinging and twisting about as the breeze swayed the clothesline. 

Raggedy Ann on the clothes line

“I do believe she scrubbed my face so hard she washed off my smile!” said Raggedy Ann after an hour of silence.

“No, it is still there!” said Brave Max, his wet cape flapping as the wind twisted him around so he could see Raggedy. “But I believe my arms will never work the same again,” he added.

Just then, a gust of wind caused the little Dutch doll to wobble precariously. With a soft “plop,” he tumbled to the grass below, and as he rolled over, he said, “Mamma!” in a squeaky voice.

Late in the afternoon, the back door opened, and Emily came out with a small table and chairs. She gathered the dolls from the line and placed them around it.

They had lemonade with grape jelly in it, which made it a beautiful lavender color, and little “Baby-teeny-weeny-cookies” dusted with powdered sugar.

After this lovely dinner, the dollies were taken to the house, where they had their hair brushed and put on nice, clean pajamas. They were placed in their beds, and Emily kissed each one good night and tiptoed from the room.

All the dolls lay perfectly still for a few minutes, and then Raggedy Ann rose up on her cotton-stuffed elbows and said, “I have been thinking!”

“Sh!” said all the other dollies, “Raggedy has been thinking!”

Raggedy Ann nodded with a gentle smile. “Yes, I believe Emily taught us a valuable lesson today. She showed us that we can enjoy life’s sweetest pleasures without naughty adventures.”

Raggedy Ann in the kitchen with jam

The toys nodded, their hearts full. 

That night, as Emily drifted to sleep, she heard  tiny voices whisper, “We’ll be good, we promise!” And this time, they really meant it.

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