The Enchanted Wood (novel)
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Enid Blyton |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Dorothy M. Wheeler |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Faraway Tree |
| Genre | Fantasy fiction |
| Publisher | George Newnes |
Publication date | May, 1939 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 192 pp |
| Followed by | The Magic Faraway Tree |
The Enchanted Wood is a children's novel written by Enid Blyton, the first in The Faraway Tree series.
Plot summary
Jo (also known as Joe in later editions), Bessie (Beth in later editions), and Fanny (Frannie in later editions) move to the country and find an Enchanted Wood at the back of their cottage. In the wood stands the magic Faraway Tree, which is home to the magical characters that soon become their new friends: Moon-Face, Silky the Fairy, Saucepan Man, The Angry Pixie, Mister Watsizname and Dame Washalot. Together they visit the strange lands that lie at the top of the tree and have adventures.
Lands in the book
- The Roundabout Land
This land spins round and round like a roundabout, and plays music as it spins. In the land live a number of rabbits and an old man who sings along with the music while tapping his hand to the beat. The land only stops spinning once in a blue moon.
- The Land of Ice and Snow
The land is full of ice and snow. It has a moon and a sun in the sky at the same time. In the land live the polar bears, and the Magic Snowman used to live there before Moon-Face melted him.
- The Land of the Old Saucepan Man
The Saucepan Man used to live there before he went to live in the Faraway Tree. The island is surrounded by mist and has a set of saucepans as steps, leading down to the Saucepan Man’s home.
- The Rocking Land
Is a land where you cannot take one step forward without taking ten steps back. Hills in the land go up and down and sometimes the land will tip completely sideways and you have to grab hold of a tree or roll off. It is believed that it is held by a giant who is trying to throw the land off his back.
- The Land of Take-What-You-Want
Is a land in which, as the name suggests, you can take whatever you want for free.
- The Land of Dame Slap (Snap in later editions.)
Is the land where Dame Slap has her school for naughty brownies, pixies and fairies, and results with very horrid punishments (e.g. go to bed without supper, slaps, etc.). This was later changed into Dame Snap, who shouts instead of slaps, to reduce the image of violence and to be more politically correct.[1]
- The Land of Seagulls
Is a land full of seagulls.
- The Land of the Red Goblins
The Red Goblins used to live in the land before Wizard Mighty-One took them prisoner in the Land of Wizards.
- The Land of Wizards
Is home to several wizards and Wizard Mighty-One and the prisoner Red Goblins.
- The Land of Birthdays
Is a land you can visit only if someone has a birthday. It is land which provides party food and games for you if you have a birthday party. One of Bessie's birthdays is celebrated there.
References
- ↑ Bradbury, Lorna (17 September 2010), "Enid Blyton's Famous Five", The Telegraph, retrieved 11 March 2014
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