A really obscure ‘help me remember this book’

[TulipTuesday]

I had a dream last night that was about a book or story I definitely read when I was young. I haven’t thought about that story since I read it, but somehow my dream brain brought it back to me.

I’m not sure if it was a book of its own, or maybe a story/cartoon in a bigger reference book or even a bible story. I can only remember a bit of it so going to be near enough impossible. But MNers are great for this kind of thing 😄

All I can remember is a girl who ended up being a slave/imprisoned. It was possibly set in East Asia or maybe Egypt. The bit that I mostly remember is that she had a heavy wooden collar round her neck to stop her escaping. Then at the end she thought she was being executed but the ‘bad guy’ cut through the collar rather than chopping her head off.

Any ideas? It’s so weird that I dreamt about last night.

Misty. Filled with chills from the midnight world!

@Needmorelego I have such envy of your annual collection!

God I remember that story really clearly now!

@Andsoforth I wish I had the space in my flat for all my annuals to be displayed but unfortunately it's all full of Lego instead 😂
So under the stairs they live.
I just checked the pile I do have at home. I only have 1974 and 1982 of Mandy here.
I am certain 84 (where the OPs story is from) was the first annual I got new at christmas.
I think it had a Valda story too. I loved Valda.

This is brilliant 😂

Yes!!! As soon as I read your description I could see the pictures but couldn't for the life of me remember from where but that's exactly it!

Yep it has a Valda story too! I love all these old annuals. I used to have them all but they ended up in a school jumble sale at some point in my distant past

@Merchdda is there an Miss Angel story too? She was my favourite.

The light is blinding, yet Valda stares straight at it😲

Yep, Angel's in there!

Angel 😇
I loved the Victorian era stories about orphans and all that. I grew up to like Catherine Cookson type books. That genre isn't as popular now. My theory behind that is because children don't have the comics to read first and develop a love of these type of stories 😂

I didn't read this specific story, but there were some extremely dark stories/comics in those annuals. I remember one about a girl who was trapped in an old house, where every time she tried to run out of the front door she would find herself back in the house. She was trapped there until she could trick someone else into coming in to take her place. Creepy AF.

How cool that you found it @Merchdda! I remember Valda vaguely too

Thank you @Merchdda That is exactly the one I remembered but couldn’t place when I read the story described by the OP!

Oh wow, I had that Mandy annual, and remember all those stories! I was nine that year...isn't it funny how they can stick in your brain.

I got that annual for Christmas in 1984 and still have it. I loved Mandy. I spent ages fantasising that I was a maligned Victorian orphan.

Oh @TulipTuesday hasn’t come back yet!

<waits anxiously>

Those annuals did have some scary stories! I remember one where a girls next door neighbour tried to poison her

That’s Not My Gran!

Love this thread. Absolutely love Mandy annuals and vividly remember the story about the mum who made her little girl believe she was ugly and had the wonky mirror 🪞 in her house. Loved the more spooky stories. Used to have the annuals every year. My lovely partner bought me a few old annuals a few years ago and the nostalgia hit was amazing and I cherish them!

OH MY GOD! That’s it!

Ive only just checked back at this thread so I’m going to read more of the replies.

I knew Mumsnetters would help me remember it! I had a feeling the bad guy looked Samarai-ish but weirdly remembered the girl as Egyptian 😆

I’m still slightly freaked out that after 40 years I dreamt about this story last night (What’s that all about? 🤷🏻‍♀️)

However I’m amazed that so many remember it!

Thanks @Merchdda so much x

Amateur dream analysis - Are you perhaps feeling trapped or constrained by something or someone in your life, and hoping to be set free?

@TulipTuesday yay !! Glad it was the correct story.
I love that my brain is full of all these random memories. Useful stuff like "what day is it?" or "where is my phone charger?" and my brain says "huh?" but obscure story from a 40 year old annual...my brain = "well yes of course I know this...."
😂

Amazing how you could remember exactly the right story and the right annual! I’m in awe x