Anne's Scrapes and Mistakes

A series of humorous and painful incidents that teach Anne valuable lessons about vanity, honesty, and self-control.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Liniment Cake

A Culinary Disaster Baking for Mrs. Allan Anne bakes a cake for the minister's wife, but mistakenly uses anodyne liniment instead of vanilla. The cake is inedible. Humiliation Mrs. Allan and the minister taste the cake and are polite, but Marilla discovers the error. Anne is mortified. Lesson Learned Anne learns to be more careful and to check ingredients. Mrs. Allan comforts her, and Anne resolves to do better.

The Hair Dye Disaster

Vanity Punished Buying the Dye A peddler sells Anne hair dye that promises to turn her red hair black. She buys it with her chicken money. Green Hair Anne applies the dye, but it turns her hair a hideous green. She is horrified and tries to wash it out, but it is permanent. Cutting It Off Marilla cuts Anne's hair short to remove the green. Anne is devastated but learns a lesson about vanity and trusting strangers.

The Ridgepole Fall

A Dare Gone Wrong Josie's Dare At a party, Josie Pye dares Anne to walk the ridgepole of the Barry kitchen roof. Anne accepts to save her honor. The Fall Anne loses her balance and falls, breaking her ankle. She is bedridden for weeks. Consequences Anne misses school and the new teacher's arrival. She learns to think before acting and to resist dares.

The False Confession

A Lie to Save the Day The Lost Brooch Marilla's amethyst brooch goes missing, and Anne is suspected. She denies taking it. Confession to Attend Picnic To be allowed to go to the picnic, Anne falsely confesses to losing the brooch in the lake. Marilla punishes her by forbidding the picnic. The Brooch Found Marilla later finds the brooch caught in her shawl. She realizes Anne lied to avoid missing the picnic. Anne learns that honesty is best.

Summer, after the minister's visit

Spring, two years after arrival

Summer, after the tea at the manse

Monday before the Sunday-school picnic