Magic Faraway Tree (13 page)

 

   
"He's taking up the board that nailed up the slippery-slip," giggled
Jo. "Good old Moon-Face! I'm glad he's got his house back again for himself.
Come on -we'd better go home. We promised Mother we wouldn't be long. It's a good
thing we can use the slippery-slip!"
And down it they went, their" hair streaming out as they flew down on their
cushions. What exciting times they do have, to be sure!
20.

 

   
The Land of Magic Medicines.

 

   
For a few days the children had no time even to think of going to their friends
in the Faraway Tree. Their mother was in bed ill, and the doctor came each day.

 

   
"Just let her lie in bed and keep her warm,' he said to the two girls. "Give
her what she likes to eat, and don't let her worry about anything."
The children were upset. They loved their mother, and it was strange to see her
lying in bed.

 

   
"There's all that washing that I had to do for Mrs. Jones," she said.
"No, you girls are not to try and do it. It's too much for you."
Moon-Face and Silky came to visit the children one morning, and were very sorry
to hear that the children's mother was ill.

 

   
"She worries so about the washing," said Bessie. 140
"She won't let us two girls do it. I don't know what to do about it!"
"Oh, we can manage that for you," said Silky at once. "Old Dame
Washalot will do it for nothing. It's the joy of her life to wash, wash, wash!
I believe if she's got nothing dirty to wash, she washes clean things. She even
washes the leaves on the Faraway Tree if she's got nothing else to wash. Is that
the basket over there? Moon-Face and I will take it up the tree now, and bring
it back when it's finished."
"Oh, thank you, Silky darling," said Bessie gratefully. "Mother
will be so pleased when I tell her. She'll stop worrying about that."
Silky and Moon-Face went off with the basket. They took it to Dame Washalot, and
how her face shone with joy when she saw such a lot of washing to be done!
"My, this is good of you!" she said, taking out the dirty things and
throwing them into her enormous wash-tub of soapy water. "Now this is what
I really enjoy! I'll have them all washed and ironed by to-night."
Silky was pleased. She knew how beautifully Dame Washalot washed and ironed. She
went up to Moon-Face's house to have dinner with him.

 

   
"I do so wish we could help make the children's mother better," she
said. "She is such a darling, isn't she? And the children love her so much.
Moon-Face, can't you possibly think of anything?"
"Well, I don't suppose Toffee Shocks would be
any good, do you?" said Moon-Face. "I've got some of those."
"Of course not, silly," said Silky. "It's medicine we want -pills
or something-but as nobody is ill in the Faraway Tree there's no shop to buy them
from."
That night they went to see if Dame Washalot had finished the washing. She had.
It was washed and most beautifully ironed, done up in the basket, ready to be
taken away.

 

   
"I've had a fine time," said the old dame, beaming at Silky. "My
the water I've poured down the tree to-day."
"Yes, I've heard the Angry Pixie shouting like anything because he got soaked
at least four times," said Moon-Face with a grin. "He's got plums growing
on the tree just outside his house and he was picking them for jam-and each time
he went out to pick them he got soaked with your water. You be careful he doesn't
come up and shout at you."
"If he does I'll put him into my next wash-tub of dirty water and empty him
down the tree with it," said Dame Washalot.

 

   
"Oooh, I wish I could see you do that," said Silky, tying a rope to
the basket of washing, so that she might let it down the tree to the bottom, "Well,
Dame Washalot, thank you very much. The person who usually does this washing is
ill in bed and can't seem to get better. It's such a pity. I wish I could make
her well."
"Why, Silky, the Land of Magic Medicines is coming to-morrow," said
the old dame. "You could get any medicine you liked there, and your friend
would soon be better. Why don't you visit the Land and get some?"
"That's an awfully good idea!" said Silky joyfully, letting down the
basket bit by bit. Moon-Face had gone to the bottom of the tree to catch it. "I'll
tell Moon-Face, and maybe he and I could go and get some medicine.

 

   
She slipped down the tree and told Moon-Face what the old dame had said. Moon-Face
put the basket of washing on his shoulder and beamed at Silky.

 

   
"That's good news for the children," he said. "Come on, we'll hurry
and tell them."
The children were delighted to have the washing back so quickly, all washed and
ironed. Dick set off with it to Mrs. Jones. Bessie ran to tell her mother that
she needn't worry any more about it.

 

   
Silky told Jo and Fanny about the Land of Magic Medicines coming the next day
to the top of the Faraway Tree. They listened in surprise.

 

   
"Well, I vote we go there," said Jo at once. "I'd made up my mind
we'd none of us go whilst Mother was ill-but if there's a chance of getting something
to make her better, we'll certainly go! One of the girls must stay behind with
Mother and the rest of us will go."
So it was arranged that Jo, Dick and Bessie should meet at Moon-Face's house early
the next morning. Then they would go up to the strange Land and see what they
could find for their mother.

 

   
Fanny was quite willing to stay with her mother, though she felt a little bit
left out. She said goodbye to Jo, Dick and Bessie soon after breakfast the next
day, and promised to wash up the breakfast things carefully, and to sit with her
mother until the rest of them came back.

 

   
They set off and arrived outside Moon-Face's house at the top of the tree very
soon afterwards. Moon-Face and Silky were waiting for them. "Is old Saucepan
coming?" asked Jo.

 

   
"Hie, Saucepan, do you want to come?" shouted Moon-Face, leaning down
the tree. 144
Saucepan was with Watzisname. For a wonder he heard what Moon-Face said and shouted
back:
"Yes, I'll come. But where to?"
"Up the ladder!" yelled Moon-Face. "Hurry!"
So Saucepan came with them and in a little while they all stood in the Land of
Magic Medicines. It was just as peculiar as every land that came to the top of
the Faraway Tree!
It didn't seem to be a land at all! When the children had climbed up the ladder
to the top, they found themselves in what looked like a great big factory-a place
where all kinds of pills, medicines, bandages and so on were made. Goblins and
gnomes, pixies and fairies were as busy as could be, stirring great pots over
curious green fires, pouring medicines into shining bottles, and counting out
pills to put into coloured pill-boxes.

 

   
In one corner a goblin was stirring a purple mixture in a yellow basin. Bessie
looked at it.

 

   
"It's a kind of ointment," she said to the others. "I wonder what
it's for."
"It's to make crooked legs straight," said the goblin, stirring hard.
"Do you want some?"
"Well, I don't know anyone with crooked legs," said Bessie. "Thank
you all the same. If I did I'd love to have some, because it would be simply marvellous
to make somebody's crooked legs better."
A pixie near by was pouring some sparkling green medicine into bottles shaped
like bubbles, The children and the others watched. It made a funny singing noise
as it went in.

 

   
"What's that for?" asked Jo.

 

   
"Whoever takes this will always have shining eyes," said the Pixie.
"Shining, smiling eyes are the loveliest eyes in the world. Is it this medicine
you have come for?"
"Well, no, not exactly," said Jo. "I'd like to have some, though."
"Oh, your eyes are smiley eyes," said the pixie, looking at him. "This
is for sad people, whose eyes have become dull. Come to me when you are an old
man and your eyes cannot see very well. I will give you plenty then."
"Oh," said Jo. "Well, I shan't be here then! I've only just come
on a short visit!"
Dick called to the others. "I say, look!" he cried. "Here's some
simply marvellous pills! Watch them being made!"
Everyone watched. It was most astonishing to see. First of all the pills were
enormous -as large as footballs. A goblin blew on them with a pair of bellows
out of which came green smoke, and they at once went down to the size of a cricket-ball.
He then splashed them with what looked like moonlight from a watering-can. They
went as small as marbles.

 

   
Then he blew on them gently -and they went as small as green peas, and each one
jumped into a pill-box with a ping-ping-ping till the box was full,
"What are they for?" asked Dick.

 

   
"To make short people tall," said the goblin. "Some people hate
being short. Well, these pills are made of big things-the shadow of a mountain-the
height of a tree-the crash of a thunderstorm-things like that-and they have the
power of making anything or anyone grow."
"Could I have some?" asked Dick eagerly.

 

   
"Take a boxful," said the goblin, Dick took it. He read what was written
on the lid.

 

   
"GROWING PILLS. ONE TO BE TAKEN THREE TIMES A DAY."
Now Dick was not very tall for his age and he had always wanted to be big. He
looked longingly at the pills. If he took three at once, maybe he would grow taller.
That would be fine!
He popped three of the pills into his mouth. He sucked them. They tasted so horrid
that he swallowed them all in a hurry!
And goodness, WHAT a surprise when the others turned to speak to Dick. He was
taller than their father! He was as tall as the ceiling in their cottage! He towered
above them, looking down on them in alarm, for he hadn't expected to grow quite
so much, or quite so quickly!
"Dick! You've been taking those Growing Pills!" cried Jo. "Just
the sort of stupid thing you would do! You're enormous! How in the world do you
think you'll ever get down the hole in the cloud?"
"Oh, do something to help me!" begged Dick, who really was frightened
to be so enormous. Everyone else looked so small. "Jo, Moon-Face-what can
I do? I'm still growing! I'll burst out of the roof in a minute!"
The goblins and pixies around suddenly noticed how fast Dick was growing. They
began to shout and squeal.

 

   
"He'll break through the roof! He'll bring it down on top of us! Quick, stop
him growing!"
21. Some Peculiar Adventures.

 

   
Dick was enormously tall. He had to bend down so that his head wouldn't touch
the roof. The little people in the medicine factory rushed about, yelling and
shouting.

 

   
"Fetch a ladder! Climb up it and give him some Go-Away Pills! Quick, quick!"
Somebody got a ladder and leaned it up against poor Dick.

 

   
A pixie ran up it on light feet. He carried a box of pills. He shouted to Dick:
"Open your mouth!"
Dick opened his mouth. The pixie meant to throw one pill inside, but in his excitement
he threw the whole box. Dick swallowed it!
And at once he began to grow small again! Down he went and down and down. He got
to his own size and grinned with delight. But he didn't stop there. He went smaller
and smaller and smaller -and at last he couldn't be seen! It was a terrible shock
to everyone.

 

   
"He's gone!" said Bessie in horror. "He's so small that he can't
be seen! Dick! Dick! Where are you?"
A tiny squeak answered her from under a big chair. Bessie bent down and looked
there. She couldn't see a thing.

 

   
"Listen, Dick," she said. "I've got a pill box here. Come running
over to me and put yourself in it. Then we shall at least know where you are,
even if we can't see you. And maybe we can get you right if only we've got you
safely somewhere."
A tiny squeaking sound came from the pill box after a minute, so Bessie knew that
Dick had done as he had been told and got into the box. But she couldn't see anyone
there at all. She put on the lid, afraid that Dick might fall out.

 

   
She stood up and stared round at the wondering little folk there. "What can
we do for someone gone too small?" she asked. "Haven't you any medicine
for that?"
"It will have to be very specially made," said a Pixie. "We can't
give him the Grow-Fast Mixture because he's really too small for that. We'll have
to prepare a special little bath of powerful medicine, and get him to go into
it. Then maybe he will grow back to his own size. But he shouldn't have meddled
with our magic medicine. It's dangerous."
"Dick's so silly," said Jo. "He always seems to get himself and
other people into trouble! I do hope you can make him right again. I wouldn't
want him to live in a pill box all his life."
"We'll do our best to get him right," said the
little folk, and they began to shout here and there, calling for the most peculiar
things to make the bath for Dick.

 

   
"The whisk of a mouse's tail!" cried one.

 

   
"The sneeze of a frog!" cried another.

 

   
"The breath of the summer wind!" cried a third. And as the children
watched small goblins came running with little boxes and tins.

 

   
"What queer things their medicines are made of!" said Jo. "Well,
let's leave them to it, shall we? I'd like to wander round this big factory a
bit more. Come on, Saucepan."
Saucepan was very deaf because there was such a noise going on all the time. Fires
were sizzling under big pots. Medicines were being poured into bottles with gurgles
and splashes. Pans were being stirred with a clatter. Saucepan couldn't hear a
word that was said-and it was because of that that he made his great mistake.

 

   
He stopped by a goblin who was pouring a beautiful blue liquid into a little jar.
It shone so brightly that it caught Saucepan's eye at once.

 

   
"That's lovely" he said to the goblin. "What's it for?"
"To make a nose grow," said the goblin.

 

   
"To make a rose grow!" said Saucepan in delight. "Oh, I'd like
some of that. If I had that I could make roses grow on the Faraway Tree all round
Mister Watzisname' s branch. He would like that!"
"I said to make a NOSE grow!" said the goblin.