Mary Smith is a clumsy young lady with wild red hair who can't seem to do anything correctly. Mary is lonely and bored after moving in with her Great Aunt Charlotte, until one day she notices a cat that appears to change color every time she sees it. Curiosity wins, and she follows it into the neighboring woods. The cat leads Mary deep into the forest to a clearing with dead trees and drab grass, where the only sign of life is a cluster of unusual blue flowers that Mary has never seen before. The estate's gardener subsequently informs her that the unusual species is known as "Fly-by-Night," and it is supposed to be sought after by witches for its tremendous magical abilities.