Curse Generator

Press the button for one fairy-tale curse: what changes, when, who laid it and how it breaks.

Curse Generator: 30 curses

Cursed to wear a pair of donkey ears from the first frost to the first swallow. Laid by a fairy queen whose dance was walked straight through. It breaks when three magpies land on the same fence.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

What changeswear a pair of donkey ears
When it takes holdfrom the first frost to the first swallow
Who laid it and whya fairy queen whose dance was walked straight through
How it breakswhen three magpies land on the same fence

History (0)

Every curse you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Curse of the day

Cursed to wear a pair of donkey ears from the first frost to the first swallow. Laid by a fairy queen whose dance was walked straight through. It breaks when three magpies land on the same fence.
Cursed to say everything twice whenever they cross a threshold. Laid by a witch who was not asked to the wedding. It breaks once they bring back a shell from the nearest sea.
Cursed to sneeze feathers from midnight to the first light. Laid by a tooth fairy who found a button under the pillow. It breaks when they praise a rival and mean it.
Cursed to become a toad in a very small waistcoat every time they forget to say thank you. Laid by a conjurer whose best trick was explained aloud. It breaks when a swallow nests above their door.
Cursed to have hair that grows as long as a rope whenever they laugh out loud. Laid by a village witch who was promised a pie and got none. It breaks when a friend refuses to leave them.
Cursed to hiccup soap bubbles whenever they are about to be praised. Laid by a great-aunt who knitted it into a scarf. It breaks when they share a meal with a stranger.
Cursed to find their pockets full of acorns from the first frost to the first swallow. Laid by a river spirit whose stepping stones were moved. It breaks when they mend something they did not break.
Cursed to have hair that grows as long as a rope whenever the tide turns. Laid by a hedge witch whose gate was left open. It breaks once they have gone a week without complaining.
Cursed to make doors open onto the wrong room whenever the tide turns. Laid by a great-aunt who knitted it into a scarf. It breaks when a lost key turns up in a loaf of bread.
Cursed to trip over things that are not there every time they tell a lie. Laid by a miller's grandmother who was not offered a chair. It breaks when they share a meal with a stranger.
Cursed to have hair that grows as long as a rope whenever they try to hurry. Laid by a book of spells read aloud by mistake. It breaks once they sort a jar of buttons by colour, in the dark.
Cursed to trip over things that are not there whenever they laugh out loud. Laid by a miller's grandmother who was not offered a chair. It breaks when they ask for help out loud.
Cursed to become a large white goose whenever they look in a mirror. Laid by a fortune-teller told that her tea was weak. It breaks once they have counted every star without losing count.
Cursed to sing instead of speaking for one hour after every meal. Laid by a mountain echo that was told to be quiet. It breaks when they finish a story they once left half told.
Cursed to have their shadow walk three steps behind whenever they are about to be praised. Laid by a witch who was not asked to the wedding. It breaks when they knit a scarf long enough to cross the river.
Cursed to fall asleep standing up on the night of every full moon. Laid by an old enchanter woken from a nap. It breaks the next time the miller's clock strikes thirteen.
Cursed to make flowers spring up in every footprint on their birthday, all day. Laid by a talking raven who was called a crow. It breaks when they fill a sieve with water.
Cursed to make doors open onto the wrong room from midnight to the first light. Laid by an owl woken at midday. It breaks the day they give away the thing they like best.
Cursed to fall asleep standing up whenever a cat crosses their path. Laid by a house sprite whose saucer of milk was forgotten. It breaks once they have counted every star without losing count.
Cursed to lose every left shoe they own whenever they whistle. Laid by a fairy who was sat on by mistake. It breaks the moment they stop asking how to break it.
Cursed to make doors open onto the wrong room every evening as the lamps are lit. Laid by a book of spells read aloud by mistake. It breaks the moment they stop asking how to break it.
Cursed to have hair that grows as long as a rope whenever a church bell rings. Laid by a witch whose cat was shooed off a doorstep. It breaks on the hundredth day, whatever they do.
Cursed to set every clock near them running backwards whenever a cat crosses their path. Laid by the north wind, kept out by a shut window. It breaks when the river freezes hard enough to walk on.
Cursed to set every clock near them running backwards whenever they cross a threshold. Laid by a hedge witch whose gate was left open. It breaks once they bring back a shell from the nearest sea.
Cursed to turn the colour of whatever they last touched whenever a cat crosses their path. Laid by a sleepwalking wizard who remembers nothing. It breaks the next time the miller's clock strikes thirteen.
Cursed to sprout small feathers along both arms for one hour after every meal. Laid by a fox who was laughed at for missing a jump. It breaks when they learn the name of every cow in the village.
Cursed to set every clock near them running backwards whenever someone says their name. Laid by a mountain echo that was told to be quiet. It breaks once they have counted every star without losing count.
Cursed to shrink to the height of a teacup from dusk until the first cock crows. Laid by a fortune-teller told that her tea was weak. It breaks when they do a chore for someone unasked.
Cursed to sing instead of speaking whenever they look in a mirror. Laid by a hermit whose quiet was broken by whistling. It breaks when the first lamb of spring stands up.
Cursed to be followed everywhere by one small rain cloud for the whole of every market day. Laid by a fairy queen whose dance was walked straight through. It breaks after they walk seven times round the pond backwards.

Next step Give the cursed one a past Add a twist to the tale

What changes: all 48 changes

Voice and words 12

answer questions nobody has asked yet In the panels the reply comes first and the question after.
blurt out the awkward truth The mouth is open and the eyes are already sorry.
call everyone by the wrong name A name tag crossed out and written again is a joke you can draw.

Show all 48 changes (45 more)

Voice and words, continued

croak like a frog between words Small "rrk" letters outside the balloon and a hand flying to the mouth.
have every shout come out as a whisper A huge open mouth and tiny letters. The mismatch is the picture.
laugh at exactly the wrong moment A hand clamped over the mouth, shoulders up, eyes wide.
lose their voice to the nearest bird The bird's balloon has the words. The person's has one small tweet.
say everything twice Print the balloon double, the second copy fainter, like an echo.
sing instead of speaking Notes drift out where the words should be. Tilt the head back.
speak a language only cats understand The cat is the only one nodding. Everyone else leans in, lost.
speak only in questions End every speech balloon in a hook. The listener's face does the rest.
speak only in rhyme Two short lines in the balloon, and a wince as the second one lands.

Shape and looks 12

become a large white goose Long neck, flat feet, furious eye. A goose does indignation without help.
become a toad in a very small waistcoat Wide mouth, low body, and the waistcoat one size too tight.
cast the shadow of a much larger animal Draw the person small and plain and give the wall the bear.
glow faintly like a lamp turned low Light what is near them: a warm edge on a cup, a wall, a friend's face.
grow a fox's tail The tail shows the mood: bushed, low or wagging. Choose one before the face.
grow antlers that snag on doorways Antlers branch like bare trees. A caught ribbon or leaf makes them funny.
have hair that grows as long as a rope Coil it, tie it, drape it over a shoulder. It is a prop now.
shrink to the height of a teacup Draw a teacup beside them every time, or the scale is lost.
sprout small feathers along both arms Feathers start at the wrist and lie flat toward the elbow, like roof tiles.
turn into a hedgehog Round body, pointed nose, short legs. Draw the spines as short strokes, all sweeping back.
turn the colour of whatever they last touched A blue hand after the door, a green sleeve after the hedge.
wear a pair of donkey ears Ears droop when sad and stand up to listen. A hat that will not sit is the tell.

The world around them 12

attract every goose within a mile A line of geese walks behind them, the largest in front.
be followed everywhere by one small rain cloud A dry street with one wet circle. Keep the cloud just above head height.
blow out every candle by walking into the room Thin smoke from each wick and one guilty figure in the doorway.
find every path leading back to their own gate Draw a signpost with all its arms pointing one way.
have their shadow walk three steps behind Leave a clear gap of floor between heels and shadow. The gap is the curse.
hear the sea in every cup and bowl An ear bent to a soup bowl, and a wave line drawn inside the rim.
make doors open onto the wrong room Through the bedroom door, a field. Draw the frame with care and the view loosely.
make flowers spring up in every footprint A line of small blooms shows where they walked, even over a kitchen floor.
set every clock near them running backwards Clock hands with small arrows going the wrong way. People check their wrists.
turn every drink they pour to plain water The jug says milk and the cup says water. Show both in one frame.
turn whatever they cook into porridge The cake tin, the roasting dish, the pie plate: all grey and steaming.
wake every sleeping thing they walk past A cat, a baby, an old dog by a stove: each with one eye opening.

Small and comic 12

be followed by a faint smell of cabbage Wavy lines, and a row of noses turning politely away.
blush the colour of a beetroot Colour the ears first. The face catches up.
dance instead of walk The feet are already going and the face is still cross.
drop whatever they are holding A cup in mid-air, fingers spread. Draw the moment before the floor.
fall asleep standing up Chin on chest, knees locked, a broom or a friend keeping them upright.
find their pockets full of acorns Bulging pockets and a squirrel that will not leave.
have hats fly off their head The hat is always a hand's reach above, mid-spin.
hiccup soap bubbles Bubbles rise in a chain from the mouth. One always lands on a nose.
lose every left shoe they own One bare foot and one neat shoe, in every single drawing.
sneeze feathers A puff of small white curls and one startled blink.
squeak like a new shoe at every step Small "eep" letters at each footfall, and a walk on tiptoe to hide it.
trip over things that are not there Feet in the air above a perfectly empty floor.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this page as a story device, in the manner of a fairy tale; a few entries lean on old fairy-tale motifs (a guest left off the list, a sieve to fill with water). None is a spell or curse from a faith or a folk practice, none is copied from a book, a film, a show or a game, nobody is hurt in any entry, and none is meant to be said to a real person. The notes are our own advice on drawing and staging. Licence: own work

When it takes hold: all 36 triggers

By the clock and the calendar 12

each morning until they have eaten An untouched breakfast is the prop. So is a hurried spoon.
every day at the stroke of noon A sundial in the corner of the frame gives the hour without a word.
every evening as the lamps are lit A lamplighter's pole or a struck match in the foreground gives the cue.

Show all 36 triggers (33 more)

By the clock and the calendar, continued

for one hour after every meal A table not yet cleared sits behind them.
for the whole of every market day Stalls and baskets behind them. An audience makes a curse worse.
from dusk until the first cock crows Set the scene at its edge: one streak of light along the horizon.
from midnight to the first light A blue room, one candle, and the change half done.
from the first frost to the first swallow Frost on the sill at the start, a bird on the wire at the end.
on every seventh day Mark the days on a doorpost: six plain strokes and a circled one.
on the night of every full moon Put the moon in a window so cause and effect share a frame.
on their birthday, all day A cake with candles nobody dares to light makes the day plain.
one day in every month, never the same one A calendar with a pin moved from square to square.

When they do something 12

each time they borrow something Keep the borrowed thing in frame: a ladder, a cup of sugar, a cart.
each time they make a promise Two hands about to shake. Freeze it there.
each time they say their own name A hand half raised to stop the word, a beat too late.
every time they forget to say thank you The gift is still in their hands and the giver is still waiting.
every time they tell a lie Draw the lie and the curse in one panel so the link is plain.
the moment they sit down to eat Spoon lifted, soup untouched, eyes on what is happening to them.
whenever they are about to be praised Someone's mouth is open to say well done. That is the instant.
whenever they cross a threshold One foot inside and one out. The door frame divides before from after.
whenever they laugh out loud Catch the laugh at its widest, with the change starting at the edges.
whenever they look in a mirror Show the reflection first. The viewer reads the curse before the face does.
whenever they try to hurry Speed lines that stop dead.
whenever they whistle Pursed lips and one note in the air.

When the world does something 12

at the first snowfall of each year One flake landing is enough to set it off. Leave the rest of the sky empty.
each time a star falls A single streak in the sky. Someone else is making a wish.
each time the wind changes A weather vane mid-swing in the background does the explaining.
when the first leaf falls in autumn One leaf in mid-air, drawn larger than it should be.
when the kettle boils Steam from the spout, and the change arriving with it.
whenever a cat crosses their path The cat is unbothered. It always is.
whenever a church bell rings A bell tower small in the distance and rings of sound drawn in the air.
whenever a stranger knocks Knuckles at the door on one side of the wall, panic on the other.
whenever an owl calls Two round eyes in a tree and a "hoo" drifting across the frame.
whenever it rains Start it with the first three drops, one of them on the nose.
whenever someone says their name A speech balloon from out of frame with only the name in it.
whenever the tide turns A line of wet sand and a line of dry, with the figure between them.

Who laid it and why: all 48 casters

Witches and wise folk 12

a conjurer whose best trick was explained aloud A hat, a rabbit half out of it, and a child pointing.
a fortune-teller told that her tea was weak The cup is still in the visitor's hand. Her smile has stopped.
a hedge witch whose gate was left open Her garden shows through the gap: tall herbs and one goat already on its way out.

Show all 48 casters (45 more)

Witches and wise folk, continued

a hermit whose quiet was broken by whistling A cave mouth, a finger to the lips and a long beard tucked into a belt.
a marsh witch who was given the wrong change Three coins on her palm, counted twice. Draw the eyebrow.
a sorceress who lost at cards and suspects cheating Cards fanned face down on a table and a gaze over the top of them.
a village witch who was promised a pie and got none An empty pie dish on her windowsill tells it.
a wise woman tired of being asked for free advice Arms folded in a doorway hung with drying plants.
a witch who was not asked to the wedding She stands at the back with a wrapped gift she has decided not to give.
a witch whose cat was shooed off a doorstep The cat sits behind her ankles, looking pleased.
a wizard's apprentice practising on the wrong person A wand held like a spoon and a spell book open at the wrong page.
an old enchanter woken from a nap A book slid off his knee, spectacles crooked, one finger already raised.

Fairies and small folk 12

a cobbler's elf who was never thanked Tiny shoes in a finished row and one elf not looking round.
a fairy godmother left off the guest list Wand tucked under one arm like an umbrella, chin up.
a fairy queen whose dance was walked straight through A ring of toadstools, a ring of stopped dancers and one muddy boot print.
a fairy who was sat on by mistake One flattened wing and a very small, very straight back.
a gnome whose mushroom was picked He stands in the round bare patch where it grew, holding the stalk.
a goblin who was beaten in a riddle contest Ears flat, arms crossed, still counting on his fingers.
a house sprite whose saucer of milk was forgotten An empty saucer by the hearth and a tiny figure with hands on hips.
a pixie who lost a race and blames the shoes Out of breath, pointing at a pair of acorn-cup boots.
a river spirit whose stepping stones were moved A face in the water and wet footprints leading the wrong way.
a tooth fairy who found a button under the pillow A button the size of her shield, held up to the moon in disbelief.
a will-o'-the-wisp nobody would follow A small blue light with a sulk, hovering at a fork in the path.
a wood sprite whose tree was carved with initials Small fingers tracing the letters in the bark.

Animals and the wild 12

a fox who was laughed at for missing a jump Brush fluffed, ears back, looking anywhere but at you.
a hare who was not believed about the weather Ears up, one paw pointing at a cloud nobody else has noticed.
a mountain echo that was told to be quiet Draw it as rings of sound coming back larger than they went out.
a queen bee whose honey was taken without asking Draw her larger than the rest, on the rim of the empty comb.
a swan who was offered stale bread Neck in an S, bill lifted, the crust floating untouched.
a talking raven who was called a crow Head tilted, one eye on you, bill a little open to correct you again.
a white stag who was stared at too long He looks back over one shoulder from between two trunks.
an oak that had a swing hung on it unasked A knot in the bark makes a frown. The rope is still swaying.
an old toad king whose pond was used for washing A crown of pondweed and a line of soap bubbles drifting past him.
an owl woken at midday One eye open, feathers on end, on a branch in full sun.
the moon, after being called plain A face in a crescent, turned three quarters away.
the north wind, kept out by a shut window Cheeks puffed at the glass and the curtains inside quite still.

Neighbours and accidents 12

a baker whose last loaf was squeezed and put back A thumb print in the crust. He holds the loaf up like evidence.
a book of spells read aloud by mistake A finger under the line, lips moving, smoke starting at the edge of the page.
a ferryman who was never told thank you A pole across his knees and an open palm, waiting.
a great-aunt who knitted it into a scarf The scarf is long, striped and slightly too warm, and it will not come off.
a king's cook whose soup was sent back Ladle raised, hat high, a full bowl coming back down a long table.
a miller's grandmother who was not offered a chair She is standing, with a stick, beside three people who are sitting.
a pedlar who was paid with a wooden coin He bites the coin. Draw the splinter.
a sleepwalking wizard who remembers nothing Nightcap, bare feet, wand held like a candle, eyes shut.
a small boy with a borrowed wand, who is very sorry The wand is behind his back. It is still smoking.
a spell meant for someone else that bounced off a mirror A zigzag of light from wand to glass to the wrong person.
a wishing well that misheard the wish A coin on its way down and a ripple shaped like an ear.
their own wish, made carelessly on a star A window, a star, and a mouth open on the last word.

How it breaks: all 48 cures

A kindness 12

the day they give away the thing they like best Hands held out with the thing in them, the fingers not quite open yet.
the first time they let someone else go first A doorway, a step back, one arm held out.
once they have made three sad people laugh Three faces mid-laugh, each a different shape of open mouth.

Show all 48 cures (45 more)

A kindness, continued

once they plant a tree they will never sit under A sapling tied to a stake, no taller than a boot.
when a friend refuses to leave them A second figure sitting down beside them with a coat still on.
when someone thanks them and means it The thanks is small. The change in the cursed face is large.
when they carry someone's load to the top of a hill Draw the load larger than the carrier and the hilltop one step away.
when they do a chore for someone unasked A swept step that is not their own, and nobody watching.
when they forgive the one who laid it Two figures of very different sizes, shaking hands.
when they keep a frightened friend company till dawn One candle, two shadows on the wall, the window starting to grey.
when they mend something they did not break A stool with one new leg in paler wood.
when they share a meal with a stranger Two bowls and one loaf torn in unequal halves, the bigger one given.

A task 12

after they climb the bell tower and polish the bell A rag, a ladder, and their own face stretched in the brass.
after they walk seven times round the pond backwards Footprints in a ring, heels leading.
once they bring back a shell from the nearest sea A long road behind them and one shell, held like a coin.
once they have counted every star without losing count Finger raised to the sky, lips moving, a tally scratched on a slate.
once they sort a jar of buttons by colour, in the dark Small piles on a table and one button held up to a crack of light.
once they teach a crow to say good morning The crow's balloon has half the words. That is progress.
when they bake a loaf that a baker will praise Flour to the elbows and a loaf held out for judgement.
when they fill a sieve with water The answer is to line it with moss. Draw the moment they think of it.
when they finish a story they once left half told A listener who has waited all this time, chin in hands.
when they knit a scarf long enough to cross the river The scarf trails off the needles, down the bank and into the reeds.
when they learn the name of every cow in the village A notebook, a fence, and a long row of patient faces.
when they return every borrowed thing to its owner A cart piled with ladders, pots and one umbrella.

A truth or a word 12

the first time they keep a secret for a whole year A calendar with every square crossed and a mouth pressed shut.
the moment they stop asking how to break it Hands in pockets, looking at something else entirely.
once they have gone a week without complaining Seven tally marks and a bitten lip.
once they tell the whole story and leave in their part Hands open, palms up, nothing hidden behind the back.
when someone says their name backwards by accident A child sounding out letters from the wrong end of a sign.
when they admit what they did to deserve it Eyes down, then up. The second drawing is the one to make.
when they answer a riddle set by a child The child sits higher than they do, on a wall or a barrel, swinging both feet.
when they ask for help out loud The hardest pose: one hand half raised, not sure it will be taken.
when they laugh at themselves Head back, eyes shut, the curse already slipping off like a coat.
when they praise a rival and mean it Two people at a fence. One is surprised and the other more so.
when they read out the smallest writing on the oldest page A magnifying glass, a candle held close and a finger under the line.
when they say sorry without adding but The mouth closes after one word. Draw the effort it takes.

Luck and waiting 12

the day the old pear tree fruits again One pear on a bare-looking branch, drawn with care.
the next time the miller's clock strikes thirteen A clock face with one puzzled hand, and the miller counting on his fingers.
on the day a rainbow ends in their own garden The bow comes down behind the bean poles. Keep it pale.
on the hundredth day, whatever they do A wall of tally marks in bundles of five, the last one fresh.
when a lost key turns up in a loaf of bread Bread torn open, a key in the crumb, and steam.
when a swallow nests above their door A mud cup under the eaves and a forked tail leaving it.
when a white horse crosses the bridge The horse is the only white thing in the picture.
when the first lamb of spring stands up All knees and wobble. Put the watcher at the fence.
when the river freezes hard enough to walk on Flat grey, with one line of footprints going out and none back yet.
when the village well fills to the brim Water level with the stone rim and a bucket floating at the top.
when three magpies land on the same fence Space them unevenly: two together and one apart.
when two rivals in the village shake hands The cursed one is only a small figure at the back, mid-change.

How it works

This curse generator writes one storybook curse in four parts: what changes, when it takes hold, who laid it and why, and how it breaks. Use it in a tale, a comic or a game. The lists are printed below.

Read the full guide

Curse ideas for characters start with the reason

The curses here come from small slights: a hedge witch whose gate was left open, a fairy who was sat on by mistake, a baker whose last loaf was squeezed and put back. A petty cause tells you what your character did, and that is a flaw you can draw.

The way out is the plot

Every curse has a door: when they do a chore for someone unasked, when they say sorry without adding but, when a white horse crosses the bridge. A kindness or a truth makes the character change. Luck makes them wait, which suits a short comic.

Draw the moment the curse takes hold, half changed. Before and after are both easier and less interesting.
Keep one thing from before the curse: a scarf, a pair of glasses. It lets readers recognise the hedgehog.

Questions and answers

Are these real curses or spells?

No. Each was made up for this page as a story device. A few lean on old fairy-tale motifs, like the uninvited guest. None is a spell from a faith or a folk practice, and none is meant for a real person.

Does it make curse words?

No. This page deals curses of the fairy-tale kind: sneezing feathers, a fox's tail, one small rain cloud overhead. There is no swearing in any of the four lists.

Can I use a curse for a role-playing character?

Yes. A curse makes a ready flaw or a quest hook. The page gives the story only, with no game's rules or numbers. Nobody is hurt in any entry, so the tone is storybook; darken it at your own table.