I have been looking for a children’s short story for about ten years that I think was in a collection of stories, all about teddy bears/bears. I can barely remember it, but what I do remember is this: the story revolved around a village where there was a dark castle on a hill. This woman lived there who barely visited the village and no one ever saw her, they were all frightened of her because they thought she was a witch. Then one day I think some village kids wanted to see what she was like and so they made this young village girl go up to the castle and stay there. Or maybe this old witch kidnapped the girl I can’t be sure but for some reason she ended up at this castle and I think she was sleeping there. She brought her teddy with her which is really important in the story. she saw this old woman crying I think or something but when the old woman saw this little girl’s teddy she was happy because I think it turns out that her son died or something and all she wanted was a friend, she was so lonely after he died which is why she locked herself up in the castle. So this little girl gives her the teddy bear as a comfort and suddenly the old woman is really happy again and her castle turns colourful and she becomes friends with the village people and all because she was given a teddy bear.
Lost Classics of Teen Lit: Name That Book! 