You probably think you know the Good Witch of the North. If you’re picturing a giant pink bubble and a crown that looks like it belongs on a wedding cake, you’re actually thinking of Glinda. Most people do this. It’s the classic "Mandela Effect" of classic cinema. In the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz, they basically merged two different characters into one, which has caused about eighty years of total confusion for anyone who hasn't actually sat down and read L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 novel.
The real Good Witch of the North is a much weirder, more specific character named Tattypoo. She isn't Glinda. She’s her own person, and honestly, she’s way more interesting than the movie version suggests.
The Identity Crisis in Oz
L. Frank Baum was pretty specific about the geography of Oz. You had four witches for the four cardinal directions. Two were bad, two were good. The Good Witch of the North was the very first magical entity Dorothy Gale met after her house flattened the Wicked Witch of the East. In the book, she’s described as a "little woman" with white hair and a stiff, white gown. She’s kind of old. She’s definitely not the young, ethereal Billie Burke we see in the movie.
So why the mix-up?
When MGM was writing the script, they decided that having too many witches would just confuse the audience. They figured one "good" witch was plenty. They took the name "Glinda"—who is actually the Good Witch of the South—and gave her the entrance and the role of the North Witch. It was a streamlined choice for 1930s storytelling, but it effectively erased the actual Good Witch of the North from the public consciousness for decades.
Who is Tattypoo, anyway?
In the original lore, the North Witch's name is Locasta (or sometimes Tattypoo, depending on which later Oz book or stage play you’re looking at). She’s powerful, sure, but she’s also humble. She admits right away that she isn't as powerful as the Wicked Witch of the East was. That’s a huge plot point! It’s the reason she can’t just zap Dorothy back to Kansas. Instead, she gives Dorothy a kiss on the forehead.
That kiss is a literal protective seal. It’s a mark that stays on Dorothy’s face, and it's so powerful that even the Wicked Witch of the West is terrified to touch her. That’s a level of "protective magic" that the movie skips over in favor of the silver slippers—which were changed to ruby for the film because technicolor loved red.
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Why the North Witch matters more than you think
The Good Witch of the North represents the "mortal" side of magic. Unlike Glinda, who is often portrayed as this all-knowing, almost goddess-like figure, the North Witch is more like a helpful neighbor who happens to know some spells. She’s flawed. She’s a bit scatterbrained. In some versions of the Oz mythos, specifically the 1902 stage play, she’s portrayed as more of a comedic figure.
She also has a complicated history.
In the broader Oz book series, we find out that she actually overthrew a previous Wicked Witch of the North named Mombi (who fans of Return to Oz will remember as the lady with the cabinet of heads). It wasn't just a peaceful transition of power. The North was a war zone for a while. Our "Good" witch had to earn her spot through magical combat. It adds a layer of grit to the character that you just don't get from a pink bubble.
Comparing the Witches: A Quick Reality Check
If you’re trying to keep the lore straight, you have to look at the power scales.
In the books, the Good Witch of the North is a localized power. She’s the queen of the Gillikin Country. Her magic is tied to the northern lands. Glinda (the South) is actually the most powerful of all the witches. By combining them in the movie, they made "Glinda of the North" a sort of magical superhero who seems to be everywhere at once.
It changes the vibe of the story. If Dorothy meets the actual North Witch first, she’s meeting someone who is doing their best but is ultimately limited. It makes Dorothy’s journey feel more dangerous because her protector isn't omnipotent.
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- The North Witch: Wears white, has white hair, gives a protective kiss, name is Locasta/Tattypoo.
- Glinda of the South: Wears red (in the books), is younger looking, has red hair, knows the secret of the shoes all along.
- The Movie Hybrid: Wears pink, is named Glinda, but lives in the North.
The Mombi Connection
You can't talk about the North without talking about Mombi. Most people think the Wicked Witch of the West was the biggest threat in Oz, but Mombi was arguably worse. She was a dark sorceress who had usurped the throne of the Emerald City before the Wizard even showed up. When the Good Witch of the North defeated her, it was a massive geopolitical shift in Oz.
The North Witch didn't just "show up" to help Dorothy; she was the one who had finally brought a semblance of peace to the Gillikin people after years of Mombi’s weirdness. She’s a revolutionary. A war hero. Not just a lady in a dress.
Modern Interpretations and Wicked
Gregory Maguire’s Wicked changed the game again. In the book and the musical, the character of Galinda/Glinda is a combination of these entities once more, but with a twist. The "North" aspect is more about social status and the "posh" side of Oz.
But even in Wicked, the shadow of the original Good Witch of the North looms. The idea that "Good" is a label given by the people, rather than an inherent quality, is a central theme. The original Locasta was "Good" because she was better than Mombi. It’s a low bar, honestly.
It makes you wonder: if Dorothy had met a different witch, would the story have ended the same way? If the Good Witch of the North had been more powerful, would she have just flown Dorothy home herself?
Probably not.
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The lore suggests that the "Good" witches in Oz are bound by certain rules of non-interference. They can give gifts, advice, and kisses, but they can't do the work for you. That’s a very different kind of mentorship than we usually see in fantasy. It’s more about empowerment than rescue.
The Secret History of the Gillikin Country
The North isn't just a place where the Good Witch of the North lives. It's the most diverse part of Oz. You’ve got the Flatheads, the Skeezers, and all sorts of bizarre creatures. The North Witch has to manage all of them.
Think about it like this: Glinda has the Quadlings, who are mostly chill. The Wicked Witch of the West had the Winkies, whom she enslaved. But the North Witch governs a territory that is basically the "Wild West" of Oz. It’s mountainous, rugged, and full of weird magic that doesn't follow the rules.
She’s a diplomat as much as a sorceress.
Actionable Steps for Oz Fans
If you want to actually understand the Good Witch of the North and the real history of Oz, you should probably stop relying on the movie. It’s a great movie, but it’s a terrible history book.
- Read "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (Chapter 2): This is where you meet the real North Witch. Notice her hat has little bells on it. Notice she’s physically small. It’s a totally different energy.
- Watch "Return to Oz" (1985): It’s darker, weirder, and much more faithful to the "vibe" of the books, even if the North Witch isn't the main focus. It shows you the North’s old enemy, Mombi.
- Look up the 1902 Stage Play: If you can find the scripts or recordings, it shows how the Good Witch of the North was used as a comedic character before she was turned into a "pink bubble" goddess.
- Explore the Gillikin Country lore: If you’re a world-building nerd, look into the later Baum books like The Tin Woodman of Oz. It goes deep into the politics of the North.
The Good Witch of the North isn't just a supporting character. She’s the catalyst for the entire series. Without her specific brand of localized, limited, but fiercely protective magic, Dorothy would have been caught by the first Winged Monkey that flew by. She deserves to be remembered as more than just a Glinda-clone.
She was the first one to believe in Dorothy, and in the weird, wild world of Oz, that’s the most powerful magic there is.
Next Steps for Your Oz Research:
Start by comparing the first meeting with the North Witch in the 1900 book versus the 1939 film. Look specifically for the "Kiss of Protection"—it’s the most significant piece of lore that the movie completely ignored, and it changes Dorothy's entire power dynamic for the rest of the story. Once you see the North Witch as a separate, distinct character, the geography and politics of Oz suddenly make a lot more sense.