There is a surprising amount of petrification in L. Frank Baum's Oz books ... also a surprising amount of taxidermy and beheading, but I don't find those to be as appealing. In one of the books, some Quadling's or Munchkin's elderly parents are accidentally turned to stone (by a witch's potion, I believe) and the bereaved son seeks an audience with the Princess of Oz herself. But Ozma has outlawed witchcraft throughout Oz, and declares that she cannot break her own law by bringing the statues back to life! Tough nuggies, she tells the kid, in a winsome, adorable way you have to love. So the kid goes off to find a magical counterspell anyway. Wouldn't you? This drawing of one of Ozma's courtiers turned to stone was inspired by the story, though it would mean that Ozma could hand out magical punishments at will, even if she wouldn't use magic to do good. But at my age, I expect hypocrisy from government.