![]() ![]() There's no over-arching plot, just a series of chapters that more-or-less stand alone. ![]() Celyn is enjoying the description of the chickens' antics. While I'm wondering why in the land of take what you want they took 7 chickens for their financially struggling mother rather than the gold ingots lying around. It's all imaginative wish-fulfillment stuff and Celyn liked it very much. The excitement comes from the adventures in the magic lands, and the short chapters offer a great number of them, including the land of ice and snow, the land of toys, the land of take what you want, the land of birthdays, the rocking land (not music related), and the land of the red goblins. I was reading it (a second time) to my daughter Celyn (without snarky commentary - a great effort I can tell you). The mechanics are further stressed in the final chapter where a pony comes down the ladder.Īnyway. "Can I have that?" "A rat you say? Where? I don't see a rat!" And on it goes. Being soaked by this water offers endless amusement to all but the soakee.Īnother repeated (again and again and again and again) 'gag' is where the Old Saucepan Man miss-hears every second thing said to him. There appears to be no water supply or sanitation, and yet Dame Washalot is endlessly tipping dirty water down the tree. The tree is populated by a good number of folk, though only a few are ever named. ![]() There's a ladder up into the clouds at the top of it and this leads to ever-changing magic lands that swing into position one after the next. The branches appear to be twenty feet wide and flat. It seems incredibly easy to climb and in all the rushing about nobody every seems in danger of falling off. The mechanics of the Faraway Tree are a mystery. THE ENCHANTED WOOD FARAWAY TREE FREETheir parents hardly ever let them have five minutes free of chores, but when they do they're happy to let the kids (as young as 7) stay out to midnight in the woods in the company of old men they haven't met. The children have a deeply unconvincing home life and never appear to go to school. Suffice it to say that things like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and Willy Wonker's whole meal in a single strip of chewing gum may well have their root in the Faraway Tree's. Whether Enid Blyton was copying them in turn from some earlier writer I can't say. If you pay attention reading this book (published 1939) you will see a good number of ideas re-used later by authors such as Roald Dahl and JK Rowling. The second thing to note is that if you read this book as a child then all four children in the modern edition will have changed their names!ĭid they change Jo and Bessie so it wasn't so obvious why they changed Dick and Fanny? Who knows.Īdditionally Dame Slap is now Dame Snap, and disciplines the children in her school by scolding them rather than slapping them. If it wasn't a tree the whole thing would be a lie! They often harp on about how lucky they are that the Enchanted Wood starts across the lane from their house. And Bessie is Bet The first thing to note about the Faraway Tree is that it's not far away at all, it's actually very close to where our heroes live. The second thing to note is that if you read this book as a child then all four children in the modern edition will have changed their names! Dick and Fanny are now Rick and Franny. The first thing to note about the Faraway Tree is that it's not far away at all, it's actually very close to where our heroes live. This was a reread and I couldn't give it less than 5 stars.more All the more reason to cherish my unhurt version of the book. She doesn't slap naughty students anymore. Like I said, censorship ruined the newer versions of the book. They discover brownies (not of the confectionery type) pixies and elves. Jo, Bessie and Fanny are three kids who move from the town to the countryside that borders on a mysterious wood. A magical tree where magical beings live was a great idea, but having various lands come to the top of the tree was a stroke of genius. The concept of the Faraway Tree was brilliant. Their ad The Enchanted Wood has been censored by an anonymous politically correct brigade, which is unfortunate. The Enchanted Wood has been censored by an anonymous politically correct brigade, which is unfortunate. ![]()
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