The Magic Faraway Tree Page 13

  "Oh, goodness! Let's hurry!" said Dick in alarm. He didn't want to lose the big box of chocolates he wanted! Moon-Face, Silky and Saucepan were waiting most impatiently for them.

  "Hurry, hurry!" cried Silky. "The Land of Presents goes in an hour! It never stays long! Quick! Quick!"

  Up the ladder they all went, talking and laughing in excitement. And, my goodness me, what a wonderful Land it was! There were Christmas trees hung with presents of all kinds! There were bran-tubs full of exciting parcels. You had to dip in your hand for those. There were tables spread with the loveliest things. And, oh, the chattering and giggling that went on as people chose their presents and went off with them! Dick marched up to a Christmas Tree because he saw hanging on it a most wonderful box of chocolates. A goblin was in charge of the Tree, and he smiled at Dick.

  "I want that box of chocolates," said Dick.

  "Who is it for?" asked the goblin, getting out some scissors to cut down the box.

  "For myself," said Dick.

  The goblin put away his scissors and shook his head gravely. "This is the Land of Presents," he said, "Not the Land of Take-What-You-Want. You can only get things here to give to other people. I'm sorry. This isn't a selfish land at all."

  Dick looked very gloomy. He moved away. How stupid! He couldn't get anything for himself, then-and he had so much wanted the chocolates! He saw a lovely blue necklace hanging on another tree, and he thought of Fanny. She had badly wanted a necklace of blue beads to go with her best blue frock. He went up to the goblin in charge of the tree.

  "May I have that blue necklace to give to Fanny?" he asked.

  "Where is she?" said the goblin, getting out his scissors. "Call her."

  "Fanny, Fanny, come here!" cried Dick. "I've got something for you!"

  Fanny came running up. The goblin handed Dick the blue necklace and he gave it to Fanny.

  "Put it round my neck for me and do up the clasp," she said. "Oh, Dick, thank you! It's lovely! Now-what present would you like me to get for you?"

  "Oh, Fanny-I'd like that big box of chocolates," said Dick, beaming all over his face. "Would you like to get it for me?"

  Fanny at once asked the goblin there for it and gave it to Dick. He undid the box and offered it to Fanny. "Have a chocolate?" he said.

  Well, as soon as the children knew how to set about getting the presents, they had a most wonderful time. All except dear old Saucepan, who would keep on getting the wrong presents for everyone, because he kept hearing things all wrong.

  "What would you like for a present?" he asked Bessie.

  "Oh, Saucepan, I'd so like a frock!" said Bessie.

  Well, Saucepan thought she said "clock", and off he went to find the biggest one in the Land. He managed to get one at last and put it on his back. It was a grandfather clock and so large that it quite bent him in two with its weight. Everyone stared in surprise as old Saucepan came up with it.

  "Here you are, Bessie dear-here's your clock," said Saucepan, beaming at her.

  "Saucepan, I said FROCK, not a clock," said Bessie, trying not to laugh. "A FROCK!"

  Poor Saucepan. He simply didn't know what to do with the clock after that, and in the end he left it in a field, striking all by itself very solemnly.

  Then he asked Dame Washalot what she would like for a present.

  "Well, I need a new iron," said the old dame.

  "I'll get you one," said Saucepan. But, you know, he had heard quite wrong. He thought Dame Washalot said "lion", though if he had stopped to think one moment he would have known that she didn't want a lion-or a tiger or an elephant, either! It was difficult to find a lion in the Land of Presents. But as the rule there was that whatever anyone wanted they must have, the goblins managed to produce one somehow.

  He got a collar and a lead for it and took it back to Dame Washalot and the others. They all stared at him in amazement.

  "What has Saucepan got a lion for?" said Jo.

  "Dame Washalot, here is the lion you wanted," said Saucepan, beaming; and he put the lead in Dame Washalot's hand. She dropped it at once and backed away.

  "Saucepan! Don't play this kind of joke on me. You know I'm scared of lions."

  "Then why did you ask me to get you a lion?" asked Saucepan, astonished.

  "I said an IRON, not a LION," said Dame Washalot quite snappily.

  "Well, then, wouldn't you like to put it into your wash-tub and wash it clean?" said Saucepan.

  But nothing would make Dame Washalot take the lion, so in the end Saucepan had to take it into the field where the clock was, and let it loose.

  "Perhaps it will eat the grass and be happy," said Saucepan.

  "Oh, Saucepan-lions don't eat grass," said Jo with a laugh. "Now tell me -what do you want for a present?"

  "Some more kettles and saucepans," said the old Saucepan Man at once.

  So Jo went to a bran-tub and said what he wanted. He put in his hand and drew out four large, knobbly parcels-two shining kettles and two fine saucepans. The Saucepan Man was very pleased indeed. He put one of the new saucepans on for a hat.

  Well, it was fun in the Land of Presents. Everyone went round getting something for the others. Dick got a toy sweet shop for Bessie. She was delighted. She got a fine aeroplane for Jo that flew from his hand and cleverly came back to it each time it flew. Jo got a new hat for Watzisname with a yellow feather in it. Watzisname got a pair of silver shoes for Silky, and she put them on at once.

  "Are we allowed to take anything home for our mother and father?" Jo asked Moon-Face.

  "Of course, so long as you say it is for them and no one else," said Moon-Face.

  So Jo went to where a Christmas Tree was hung with pipes and tobacco and got a grand new pipe and a tin of tobacco for his father. And Bessie got a large new purse for her mother.

  Suddenly Jo looked at his watch. "It's almost twelve o'clock," he said. "The Land of Presents will be moving off in a minute. We'd better go. Anyway, we really can't carry anything more! Golly, what a lovely lot of things we've all got!"

  So they left the lovely Land of Presents and went down the ladder to the Faraway Tree. They said good-bye to Moon-Face and the others, and sat carefully down on cushions, their presents on their knees so that they wouldn't break. And one by one they shot off down the Slippery-slip and out of the front door.

  They heard a curious roar as they landed on the moss outside the tree. Jo looked up into the branches.

  "Do you know, I believe that funny old lion followed us down the ladder!" he said. "Whatever will Dame Washalot do with him if he won't leave her! I guess she will wash him every day in her wash-tub!"

  "Well, he'll wish he hadn't left the Land of Presents then!" said Bessie with a giggle. "Come on-let's go home to Mother. What a lovely adventure! I hope it won't be the last."

  It won't, because the Faraway Tree is still there. But we must leave them now to have their adventures by themselves, for there is no time to tell you any more. There they all go through the Enchanted Wood, carrying their lovely presents-what a lucky lot of children they are, to be sure!

  THE END.

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