The Folk of the Faraway Tree

The Folk of the Faraway Tree is a children's novel in The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton. It was originally serialised in the Sunny Stories magazines and was first published in novel format in 1946.[1]

The Folk of the Faraway Tree
First edition cover by Dorothy M. Wheeler
AuthorEnid Blyton
Illustratorvarious over the years
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Faraway Tree
GenreFantasy
PublisherGeorge Newnes (1946)
Publication date
1946
Preceded byThe Magic Faraway Tree 
Followed byUp the Faraway Tree 

It is the third book in the series, in which Jo, Bessie and Fanny (updated in later editions to Joe, Beth and Frannie) introduce their mother's friend's daughter, Connie, to Silky, Moon-Face, Saucepan Man and all the rest of their friends in the Magic Faraway Tree.

At first, Connie does not believe such a place exists. By the end of the novel however, she ends up liking the Faraway Tree very much and is sad to have to leave. Connie is a very snoopy person, leading to her nickname 'Curious Connie'.

Lands in the book
  • The Land of Marvels

This Land is filled with all kinds of marvels: a cat telling fortunes, a ladder with no top and a singing tree. Connie goes here, gives the fortune-telling cat a slap, gets in trouble with an old dame and hides up the Ladder That Has No Top, where she is rescued by Moon-Face.

  • The Land of Giants

This is the Land that Jack's beanstalk led to. The children, Saucepan, Silky and Moon-Face go through here to rescue Connie.

  • The Nursery Rhyme Land

All of the people featured in nursery rhymes live here. The children all go up to visit Miss Muffet. They have to rescue Saucepan from her spider.

  • The Land of Dame Slap (Dame Snap in modern editions)

Where Dame Slap has a school for bad pixies and fairies. The friends go to visit Mrs Saucepan (Saucepan Man's mother) and get caught by Dame Slap.

  • The Land of Tea Parties

A place for tea parties, with rabbit waiters. It is connected to Dame Slap's Land. They all celebrate Mrs Saucepan's birthday here.

  • The Land of Secrets
  • The Land of Enchantments
  • The Land of Know-Alls

In this Land, there is a hill with three doors in its side. People visit this Land to find out anything they wish to know. The three doors have three different names on them. The names represent three different know-alls who can answer everyone's questions.

  • The Land of Treats

Plot summary

Joe, Beth and Fannie have Connie over to stay because her mother is ill. Connie is stuck up, bossy and does not believe in magic. She says that Dick (now updated to Rick) told her all about his stay in the country. The children are overwhelmed because it does not seem like Dick to tell stories. She calls the Enchanted Wood silly, the Faraway Tree ridiculous, Moon-Face, Dame Washalot and Mr Watizisname stupid, Saucepan Man mad and says that magic is made up and old fashioned. The three children get cross with her for calling their friends rude names and old fashioned.

They have a wonderful time with Connie, although she does lead to trouble like going up to the Land of Marvels and climbing up the Ladder That Has No Top, from which Moon-Face saves her. Later, she listens to someone else's secret in the Land of Secrets, causing Mrs Hidden to take away her voice so the children have to get it back. Luckily, the Land of Enchantments comes after The Land of Secrets leaves. Lastly, Connie's third error is mistaking Dame Slap (now Snap) for Mrs Saucepan (Saucepan's mother, who is the cook at Dame Slap's school). In the end, they all have to join Dame Slap's school except Fanny and Bessie who have to help out in the kitchen because Mrs Saucepan leaves when Saucepan arrives. They are all rescued by Saucepan, who arrived earlier and was walking around with his mother.

References
  1. "The Folk of the Faraway Tree". enidblytonsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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